When words simply won't do

If nothing else, I am a man of words.

Every day, work with words and images and convey to our readers what has happened during the past 24 hours. But this morning words fail me. I am trying desperately to think of something that will console those who knew Dante DeSimone. I'm coming up empty. As a journalist, as a father, and as a human being.

DeSimone was a popular athlete who graduated from Upper Darby High last June and was a freshman at Neumann University in Aston, where he was already making a name for himself on campus as part of the lacrosse team. Notice the tense I used there.

Was.

In a few days, DeSimone would have returned to the Aston campus to resume his freshman year. Instead, fate put him outside the McDonald's on Baltimore Pike in Clifton Heights Sunday night. He was doing what young people do, hanging out with his friends. Two cars collided on Baltimore Pike. One of them careened up onto the sidewalk, striking DeSimone and his buddy, Tim Robison.

DeSimone was rushed to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, where he was pronounced dead. Robison was transferred to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.

I found myself early Monday morning doing something I do all too often in this job. As a journalist, I was attracted to what clearly was going to be a compelling story. As a father of a son just a few years older than Dante, I recoiled in horror, wondering how something like this could happen.

I was not alone.

Last night several hundred people gathered at the site for a vigil to remember Dante. I'm sure they were all asking the same question.

DeSimone's devastated parents were there, the pain clearly etched on their faces.

The story about the accident that took Dante's life was easily the most popular one on the DelcoTimes.com site yesterday.

I have no doubt today's coverage of both the crash and last night's memorial will be likewise. People always ask me why there is so much bad news in the Daily Times. I always offer them the same response.

"That's what people read."

I wish more than anything today people were not reading about the death of a vibrant young man like Dante DeSimone.

I wish I knew what to say to his devastated family and friends.

Like I said, some days the words just won't come. And even if they did they wouldn't adequately describe what happened in the blink of an eye on Baltimore Pike Sunday night.

Hug your kids.

Say or do something nice for someone today.

Do it for Dante.