* As I told you yesterday, Wordslinger’s family had requested donations to “members of the Oxnevad family, to be put towards continuing higher education.”
Word’s daughter Emma is attending DePaul to become a journalist and is doing a summer internship at the Sun-Times. I reached out to her yesterday to ask her to set up a GoFundMe page so we could help defray her costs.
Here is her message…
Hi, all!
My name is Emma Oxnevad, and I’m Karl’s—or as you knew him, Wordslinger’s—daughter. My family and I read through the outpour of love and admiration you all had for my dad and his work and it touched us all. I have countless memories of my dad sitting at a computer, typing away on Capitol Fax, and it would have meant the world to him to see how much you all admired his wit, perspective, and humor. He was one of a kind, and you all saw that.
When speaking with Rich Miller, he suggested the idea of a GoFundMe in order to help put me through my last two years of college. I’m a journalism student at DePaul—I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far—and given the sudden nature of my father’s passing, paying for school is becoming even more daunting than before.
I am not one to ask for favors from strangers, nor am I one to ask for people’s hard-earned money for my own benefit. However, my dad always made sure that my financial aid at school was covered and up-to-date, and I know he would want to make sure that I would have some security stored away for the time I have left in school.
Any amount is appreciated, as are the beautiful tributes you all left for my dad and his work. He understood the power of words and conversation, and he would be absolutely floored by the love in this thread.
Thank you all very much and keep up the discourse.
-Emma
Emma’s goal is $10,000, which I suggested. I will match the first $2,500, but that will still only get us half way. So, I’m asking you to dig as deep as you possibly can on this one.
As has been obvious over the past couple of days, Wordslinger meant a lot to everyone who spent any time at all on this website. Let’s pay it forward. Please, click here.
…Adding… I just received a call from someone who would like to remain anonymous. We have another donor who will match the first $2,500 raised on Emma’s GoFundMe site. Pretty cool.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:02 pm:
By giving early, you can be part of the $2,500 Rich is going to match so you are making Rich spend money too.
Sort of a win-win
- yinn - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:10 pm:
Thank you for the opportunity to take positive action as a community during this time of loss and sadness.
- work in progress - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:21 pm:
Happy to help
- Anti-Immoderate - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:23 pm:
That didn’t take long… Already past the $2,500 match amount. Good to see how generous the capfax community is toward one of it’s own.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:24 pm:
Almost to the 10k mark already with the matches. What a great thing.
- The Captain - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:27 pm:
Yesterday’s post had over 200 condolence comments. If each of those people chipped in $100 we could raise $20,000.
I think for many people one of their biggest fears about passing away early is being unable to provide for their children before they’re capable of providing for themselves. This is a really small sacrifice in order to help someone who would have done the same for you.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:30 pm:
It’s at $4220 right now (not on the front page) so good job so far.
- Earnest - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:31 pm:
Done. Thank you to Emma for setting up the page in what is a difficult time. Thank you to Rich and Anonymous for the very generous match. There’s some irony to be found in the fact that I never read posts under the handle “Anonymous” and always read posts under “Wordslinger.”
- thunderspirit - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:33 pm:
I couldn’t give a whole lot, but under the premise that “every little bit helps,” I hope my little bit helps.
- LoyalVirus - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:37 pm:
Done and done. Thank you for sharing this, Rich - and for your matching donation.
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:41 pm:
To be honest, Wordslinger had the ability to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and raised my blood pressure above the red zone on numerous occasions, he never would have considered me as an “ally” in his quest for responsible discourse. That being said, I am grateful for the opportunity to dig down under the pocket lint and Milk Bone crumbs in order to help Emma fulfill her desire to learn to analyze and write in a matter that would make her Pop proud. You go, Girl. And I hope it’s not inappropriate that I can’t help thinking about a Word quote for the past day - to paraphrase, he wrote in a post about state school tuition, “My daughter kicked Daddy in the swimsuit region when she was accepted to DePaul”. Loved that quote, it defined him in my mind, along with the one about “Quislings”.
The world needs more good writers to both inform and inspire us.
- Centennial - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:49 pm:
Happy to help. You’re a good man, Rich.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:54 pm:
Happy to help the daughter of a great contributor to the blog and a good Norwegian and NIU alum.
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:56 pm:
Done. Word was the cap fax bouncer. I’d write more, but I’m sure it’d amount to “word salad”
- illini - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:58 pm:
Rich and Emma - Thank you for sharing.
To my fellow fans of Karl and this site - Tuition at Loyola is $22K per semester and the average cost of attendance after financial aid is still $34K a year. We should be able to far exceed the moderate goal that has been established even with out the matching donations.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 12:59 pm:
Done.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:04 pm:
Good show crew. We’re gonna need a bigger boat.
- Back to the Future - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:19 pm:
Thanks for to opportunity to participate.
- A friend - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:24 pm:
Let’s keep this up and get the word out on our social media.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:27 pm:
Happy to contribute to a worthy cause in honor of a writer who always inspired.
- walker - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:29 pm:
Passed 10k and growing. Just a sign of respect we all have for WS.
- King Louis XVI - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:31 pm:
Done. Thank you for sharing, Rich.
- bhartbanjo - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:34 pm:
Thanks for the opportunity to help out.
- Ben Marc*m - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:36 pm:
This is great, Rich! Thank you for putting this together.
- DC - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 1:45 pm:
To see 10k raised in about an hour and a half is impressive. As was said above, college ain’t cheap, so still chip in if you can. Emma, keep pursuing the truth like your Dad did. If you ever want an internship covering politics, I can think of someone I know here who has had interns before.
- Boone's is Back - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 2:03 pm:
Best of luck Emma. I’m glad to see that you’re moving in your father’s footsteps in a noble career. Please know how much everyone in this community valued your father’s input.
- Ed Higher - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 2:24 pm:
Worthy and wonderful!
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 2:30 pm:
As classy and well-spoken as her father.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 2:38 pm:
Had to wait until I got home (I avoid doing financial stuff on phone/tablet when I’m out and about), and was thrilled to see Emma’s goal was surpassed. So I added a bit for pizza.
- Crispy - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 2:41 pm:
Thank you for the opportunity to help. I learned so much from Wordslinger during several years of mainly lurking and listening; he was insightful, often hilarious, and above all humane. So sorry for this untimely loss.
- Ginhouse Tommy - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 2:55 pm:
Insightful and honest in his opinions and sounds like he was a great and proud father too. Maybe that came from what his parents suffered thru in the war. Man I miss him. I don’t think this blog will be the same.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 3:00 pm:
Unbelievable. $13,000 and rising. I hope Wordslinger knew how much he meant to everyone.
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 3:00 pm:
Looking at the total - People are good. We need to remember that at times..
- 37B - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 3:56 pm:
First time using Gofundme. Couldn’t quite master the comment part. Thought I was acting anonymously. Turns out I wasn’t. All for a good cause. A sad embrace.
- Diogenes in DuPage - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 4:19 pm:
Win-win-win. Emma gets to finish her education, Wordslinger gets honored, and Rich, once again, shows his generosity. America at its best. RIP, WS.
- lakeside - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 4:41 pm:
This is a good blog.
- Flapdoodle - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 5:07 pm:
Just made my donation and saw the total — well done, everyone. Truly inspiring. Good show, Rich. We need more like you.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 5:55 pm:
Hi Emma, I’m so sorry for your loss. But you are a good writer already and I’m sure your dad is quite proud of you. thanks for sharing him with us. Wordslinger means lots to us. Go you DePaul woman … (I cannot type exclamation points for fear of being banned.)
- Ole' Nelson - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 5:59 pm:
A sad situation, but well done fellow CapFaxers.
- No Longer A Lurker - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 6:20 pm:
My condolences to Emma and her family. I was a Wordslinger fan and often scrolled through the posts to look for his comment. I thought he had a keen insight into the affairs of Illinois and appreciated that he took the time to share them with us.
- PartiPoodle - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 6:40 pm:
Done. Although I have read this blog faithfully since before Blago, this is the first day I have commented. When I read the news, I couldn’t help but cry. An unfillable void. My most heartfelt sympathies to his family. Godspeed Wordslinger, we are all the richer for having ‘known’ you. And we will all miss your wit, wisdom and knowledge- every blog.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Jul 2, 19 @ 7:06 pm:
Congrats Emma and CapFax bloggers on making the best of a sad situation. Education is one thing that will carry with you for a lifetime.