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Question of the day

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* During the past few days, I’ve posted my own obituary of CLTV political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez, as well as a post with several stories about his life and untimely death and info on his wake and funeral arrangements.

* The Question: Your own thoughts on Carlos’ life?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:56 am

Comments

I hate death. I know we aren’t supposed to live forever, but when I see someone die while still a young man, I absolute hate death.

When this happens, we are all robbed. It doesn’t even matter what he did for a living. We were robbed by losing an individual who didn’t reach full potential. We were robbed by not having Carlos become a wise old man years from now.

God hates death too. The One that gives us life, is forever showing us that life is eternal. God knows that we needed Carlos, and that is the reason we all mourn, God included. We are not abandoned. We come together to ensure that life continues, even when it is taken from one of us too soon, and from one of us so beloved and so treasured.

May His healing remind us all of the beauty of the life given each of us. May we continue protecting and valuing the life of those living, and the life of those yet to live. May we remember that death does not discontinue the relationship we have to those whom we loved and whose life touched ours, even in death.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:18 am
I knew Carlos during his DePaul years (I was an adopted DePaul student), and then as a political reporter. The funny and caring fellow you saw on TV was the Carlos I had the honor of knowing. As a political reporter I never could figure out how he could manage to ask tough, probing questions and still be a nice guy. It was an art of Carlos’ that I’m not sure too many folks could emulate. Perhaps my favorite “acceptable for publication” memory of Carlos was that one Halloween he went as the first drummer for Beatles, Pete Best, and the following year he went as Buddy Holly. The costumes were identical. I swear he pulled them both off perfectly.

Comment by Rob Baren Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:26 am
My wife worked with Carlos over the past two years. Quite by accident, she was one of the first to learn Sunday morning about his hospitalization and blood clot, and then was one of the first to hear of his passing that night.

My wife is not an outwardly emotional person, and we have of course known people who’ve passed on besides Carlos.

My wife burst into tears upon hearing the news, sobbing “It’s not fair.”

That’s all any of us need to say.

Comment by Concerned Observer Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:27 am
Carlos was a very hard working quality political reporter. He loved his work and it showed. He was ambitious, professional (not going for the sensationalism reporting) but the reporting that mattered on issues that mattered. He was smart enough to go after the questions that should have been answered, and to think of the questions that needed answering.

It is a great loss to all. He set the bar high on quality reporting.

Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:29 am
Thank you Rich for all your postings on Carlos. He had many fans who were concerned and wished him well. Also Rich, sorry for your loss of your friend. This is your second good friend you have lost in a short period of time.

Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:34 am
never met him, but think he was an important and classy part of the Chicago journalism scene. he was always smart, and detailed, and seemed to be a very nice person. no, I did not know him, but his passing makes me very sad and especially sad for his family and friends. they lost alot, and those of us who watch lost something too. it’s just not fair.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:36 am
It will be hard to go to the Billy Goat without expecting Carlos to bound down those steps and entertain us. From his dead on impersonations, his courthouse insights, his mob folklore and his crazy laugh….Carlos loved life and embraced it more than almost anyone I ever met.
The other thing that always impressed me about Carlos was his religious convictions. He loved the irony of living across from the school he was an alter boy at when he was young. He had a real faith that I am sure was a comfort to him through his horrible illness. So when he was expedited through the pearly gates, I am sure he got some of the big scoops he had always hoped for. And right now, he is probably kicked back with a beer and a set of headphones listening to the blago tapes….big smile on his face.

Comment by Carlos fan Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:43 am
He was a stand up guy. I always enjoyed his political reporting, he knew his stuff. It’s a shame that the good die young.

Comment by Sinister Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:43 am
Carlos is gone at 36 while ancient Fidel Castro lives on. Such are the vagaries of living and being human that are impossible to understand and difficult to accept. The only consolation can be that the last months for Carlos were painful and hard, and now he is at peace.

Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:08 pm
Third Generation nailed it, our thoughts are with you also Rich, I remember my first meeting, we made contact on a crowded “rail” I commented how much I appreciated his work, he treated me like a long lost friend and his sincerity of voice is what I’ll never forget!

Comment by bwana Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:22 pm
I first met Carlos when he wrote for La Raza and Extra News (both big Spanish language papers). He never forgot those roots and was very connected to his strong, pro-Puerto Rican independence convictions.

Comment by chitownhv Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 12:45 pm
We lost one of the best. Very sad.

Comment by Ryan McLaughlin Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:02 pm
Everyone dies, but not everybody lives.

Carlos was one of the fortunate few who did. He had a purpose that he felt, dreams he pursued, goals he achieved, and a difference that he made. Yet while “he did not live to comb grey hair,” we have much about his life for which to be profoundly grateful. For we are the legions with whom he shared his passion, his grace, his intelligence, and his humanity.

And for those, like Rich, who knew him best and feel most deeply today the sting of his loss, what part of the life that you shared with Carlos would you give back to be spared the sorrow you now feel?

I think none.

Because you know how lucky you were.

Just as Carlos knew how lucky he was, too.

His was indeed a life well-lived. Let us continue to learn from it.

Requiescat in pace.

Comment by In Appreciation of a Life Well-Lived Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:24 pm
This is a big loss. His death is particularly unfortunate for us in this age of the demise of large newspapers and their large budgets for investigative reporting.In an era of bigger and more complex government and its increased potential for corruption, we are dependent on young reporters like Carlos to ask difficult questions and help us understand the answers.

All my sympathy to his family.

Comment by cassandra Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:26 pm
I met Carlos once or twice. It would by disingenuous to say I knew him. Yet, his distinctive voice was so familiar, and like so many in Chicago, I trusted and believed literally every word he said.

In his work, it was clear that he was honest, hard-working and smart.

As I read with a hopeful heart about his battle with cancer, it became clear he was an individual of great hope and courage, who was loved and cared about by many.

My thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with his family and many friends.

Comment by JonShibleyFan Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:37 pm
Carlos was a seeker of the truth. He was willing to take on the powerful and follow the facts when he didn’t have to .

Comment by Steve Bartin Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:40 pm
I’m overwhelmed by the outpour of support, memories and tribute to Carlos over the past few days… But not at all surprised.

Although I didn’t know him well, he always treated me like a friend. It only took him one encounter to remember your name, where you were from, and anything else about you that you may not even remember talking about! It was always fun to run into Carlos.

He should be an example to all of us on how to treat others. I would be very lucky to receive even half of the tribute he has - and very much deserves.

He will be missed.

Comment by Fox40 Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 1:43 pm
I didn’t know him very well, but he taught me something important. None of us knows how much time we have on this earth. If we live our lives as well as Carlos lived his, with passion for a noble cause, with the love of his wife and family, and his many friends, it is a life well lived. Carlos packed a lot of life into his 36 years, and made a difference. We would do well to emulate that in our lives, with whatever time we have left.

My prayers go out to his wife, his family and his many friends. Thanks Rich, for the opportunity to read all of these wonderful tributes.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 2:47 pm
Live Well-Lived said it better than I ever could.

Carlos’ family, especially Randi, and all his friends are in my prayers.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 2:57 pm
I’m just somebody who liked to see him on the news or Chicago Tonight, but I always felt like he was the most informed and most aggressive reporter out there. He didn’t fall back onto his own shopworn ‘I know it all’ biases like some of the senior political reporters in this state. He always seemed like a rookie reporter on a roll to me; a little small for his suit, really interested in what he was talking about and giving full effort on every story. I’ve been missing him for a while now. The tradition of scrappy, truth-more-interesting-than-fiction journalism in this town has taken a real hit.

Comment by Quizzical Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:26 pm
Selfishly, I mourn the loss of all the great reporting Carlos was going to do over the next thirty years. He was an informed and informing citizen, the kind we need in office, in the voting booths, and behind the microphones.

That, great though it may be, pales next to the loss his family and friends have experienced. If reading these little messages here helps any of you at all, know that we feel for you.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:29 pm
Though I did not know Carlos personally, I will miss seeing him on Chicago Tonight. I liked his commentary.

If memory serves, I think his last appearance on CT was when he discussed his cancer. I appreciated him taking time to share such a very personal matter because in someway I thought he was helping men to stop trying to be the strong silent type and be observant about their help. If Carlos’ sharing helped one man to be more aware, then Carlos’ life was not in vain. I also LOVED the fact that in a city brimming with young reporters, Carlos was one who actually knew about the political stuff on which he reported. Sadly there are far too many 20, 30 and 40s something year olds reporting politics who should NOT! They’ve not taken the time to understand the issues, let alone know who’s who in Chicago and Illinois politics. I have seen too many times, too many politicians get away with talking nonsense because the reporter/anchor does not know when to ask a follow-up or to how to properly as a follow-up to get at the truth with a politician who is trying to be too slick/cute by half.

You could hear in Carlos’ voice that he wasn’t buying most of what Illinois/Chicago politicians were saying (pat quinn included).

At least Carlos got a chance to do a job that he loved and at which he was very good, and this cannot be said of everyone.

Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 11:00 pm