Life Story a Tragic Reminder

In Life Stories on page 3A of September 12's Missourian, there is a profile of 7-year-old Patrick Knedler. This story jumped out at me because of its obvious tragedy. I also found it to be very well written, and very sensitive to those he left behind. The minimum amount of space necessary to describe how he died and details of the memorial service was used. It focused instead on the kind of child he was: an energetic, social and intelligent boy. The reporter did not talk to his parents, choosing rather to speak with an aunt and grandmother. That seems a wise decision to me. I do not yet know how I am supposed to deal with tragedies such as these, but I know that's what I would have done, too. The parents are surely grieved at the loss of their youngest boy. The Columbia Tribune ran an article that goes into a little more depth. This is a startling and horrific reminder of mortality. As far as I'm concerned, nothing is more painful than seeing someone younger than me die. Survivor's guilt is a terrible thing. I didn't even know the boy, which makes it all the worse.