Sports Journalists loses one of their own

I'm glad I don't work for fucktards like those two anymore.

 

RIP Dave Feltner.

I didn't know Dave nor have ever e-mailed or talked to him, but reading his posts and subsequent responses on his passing have touched a chord (especially responses by Starman and WriteThinking).

Dave's posts about sacrificing his personal life for his professional life particularly moved me, especially since I just turned 37.

A little more than two years ago, I was sacked by my newspaper after being a bit overwhelmed by some health problems. That being said, I take a lot of responsibility for the situation and have not made the same mistakes since.

Needless to say, it was jarring being shunned by former colleagues. After I lost my job, when I called former colleagues to chat - just to shoot the breeze and not to vent - my calls went unanswered. Though I made some mistakes, I didn't necessarily feel I was some sort of monster.

Everything I worked for was gone. I had no wife, no kids, no house, and then no career. Luckily, I'm extremely blessed with wonderful family and wonderful friends who have provided tremendous support in the past few years.

However, up until recently, I have been in a pretty, dark place, emotionally, mainly soaking myself in booze in hopes to ward off the shame, anger and job-hunting stress.

My current gig has pretty decent health insurance and I've sought counseling and other medical help to deal with the anger and resentment. I had gone through a few stretches without health insurance, and it is indeed scary (which wasn't helped by the fact a year after losing my newspaper job, I was laid off from a copy-writing gig a month after becoming eligible for health benefits).

I still feel adrift, and have been questioning the direction I chose.

I regret never making time for a mate or try to carve out a social life during my newspaper career. I've been trying to start over for the last two years in what is probably the halfway point of my life.

WriteThinking took the words out of my mouth (or keyboard) in that we should all reach out and keep track of former colleagues who have fallen on some sort of misfortune. I personally have to do a better job of that now that my situation has stabilized a bit, and vow to do so.

Psycho T, thank you for all your efforts keeping us informed and I will say a few prayers for Dave's father.

 

T_A_V, I know what you mean in some respects. I also just turned 37 and have given a lot to this profession and am really feeling like I need a new direction. I have been fortunate that I haven't lost my job (yet), but I have been more depressed and drinking more beer on the weekends the past year or so. Unfortunatley, I don't think things will really improve until I find a new career or at least a more stable job. I am glad you appear to be getting the help you need. And I hope you have family close by who can help you through it (like I do). If not, we're always here to listen. This thread sure has proven that.

 

A newspaper is not worth your life, any of you. Don't let one take yours from you. There is never enough compensation for that, and a newspaper won't love you back.

 

(I know I have posted this a couple times, but want to make sure everyone who wants to see it, sees it):
I am inviting everyone to send cards of prayer, cards with words of encouragement or possibly more importantly, donations to help with his funeral costs. Below is my address at which you could mail it to me. Any donation or cards of condolences would be greatly appreciated.

I am collecting cards and donations for the next 3-4 days, at which time I will personally deliever them to his father, who is battling cancer himself right now.


Please address it to:

Joshua Morgret
c/o Dave Feltner
515 Glenview Drive
Fostoria, Ohio 44830