Learning a crucial lesson through loss

I have a grievance that I need to get off of my chest. Hopefully, you will indulge me this once. As the purpose for this blog is strickly for journalism news, I can promise you the following is journalism related. I just wanted to put out a short disclaimer that this particular post is very personal. For those of you whom I haven't scared away, here goes...

My aunt, Shirley, her daugher-in-law, Kris, and her two grandchildren, Katelynn and Brittany were involved in a fatal car accident Monday, July 28. Miraculously, Brittany emerged from the accident almost untouched. However, Shirley sustained major, but non life-threatening, injuries, and Kris was held in the intensive care unit in critical condition with a broken neck. Eight-year-old Katelynn died at the scene of the accident. Naturally, the past week has been a difficult time for our entire family.

When I arrived at my grandparents' house, as expected the mood was one of sadness and grief. What I also found was a level of support, forgiveness and love the likes of which I have never seen in my family. For once, eveyone was able to set aside their differences and come together to grieve and to heal after the tragic loss. This environment of healing came to an abrupt end Tuesday, when my grandmother placed a newspaper clipping from the Gillette News-Record on the coffee table next to the basket of sympathy cards. The article left my blood boiling.

The article, while covering for itself by offering the sources of it's information about the accident, gives the distinct impression that the driver of the truck, my aunt, was driving recklessly and is completely at fault for the accident. Now, I understand I was not at the scene of the accident and therefore am hardly an expert witness, but in all the article's implications, it fails to mention several facts. First, there were no witnesses other than the individuals involved in the accident. Therefore there is no one who can give an unbiased account of the events leading up to the accident. Second, at the time of this article, police had not taken statements from Shirley or from Kris, only from the driver of the semi that forced their truck off of the road. In other words, the description of the accident listed is strictly his perspective. Third, and finally, the article casually mentions that proper child restraints were not used. Wyoming law does state that children under the age of nine must use a safety seat when riding in a vehicle, so technically, that statement is correct. What is not mentioned is the fact that both girls weighed over 60 lbs, exempting them from the restraint law. Also, just an FYI, Wyoming has the highest requirement in the nation for child safety restraints. Most states allow regular seat belt use without a safety seat starting at age six.

I'm not arguing with the accuracy of the story. As I mentioned, there were no witnesses other than those involved in the accident, so the truth will never be known for certain. I do, however, strongly suggest that the staff at the Gillette News-Record choose their words wisely the next time they are writing an article involving a fatality prior to a full police investigation. While the article never stated that my aunt was at fault, the manner in which it was written certainly led readers to that conclusion. I implore the staff, and journalists everywhere, to consider what kind of impression each piece that they write will leave on its audience, no matter the subject, and to use sound, ethical judgement before publishing. Often it is not the information itself that causes a problem, but instead the way in which it is presented. The Gillette News-Record could have saved my family, specifically my aunt, a lot of grief had they presented the relevant information on the accident in a more compassionate manner.

As I said earlier, this issue is obviously personal for me, so perhaps I am not the best person to be reporting on this. I debated writing this at all. Ultimately, I decided were it not for the personal nature of the story, I may have made the same mistake myself. And so I must pass on this experience and knowledge to you, in hopes of promoting a class of more ethical, compassionate journalists.