the Outlook Blog

I'm stunned by news of the death of reporter Evan Silverstein, a friend and colleague from Presbyterian News Service whom I've known for eight years. Evan died at age 42 at his home in Louisville on Sunday of natural causes, the news service reported today.

We often covered the same events involving the Louisville-based Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). While our employers were different -- his a denominational news service, mine the secular hometown paper -- we shared the goal of reporting thoroughly and fairly about of all sides of the issues.

Less than two weeks ago, I saw him at the ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the headquarters in Louisville. We talked about the challenges facing our vocation -- the financial struggles of both newspapers and Protestant denominational news services, and the current repercussions for both my employer and his.

Evan told me of how his goal was never to quit in spite of the pressures, and instead to keep doing his job as well as he could as long as he could. And he did -- part of the two-person crew that set a standard for excellence among denominational news services. He won numerous awards. It's fitting that a memorial fund established in his name honors the work he did in helping publicize the struggles of migrant farm workers in Florida for better conditions -- including a boycott of Louisville-based Yum! Brands. His obit notes that Silverstein, although himself Jewish, "displayed a far better understanding of and appreciation for the mission and ministry of the PC(USA) than many Presbyterians."

Now his comments, and that chance encounter, take on deeper meaning. Evan held up his end of the bargain. How tragic that it ended so soon.

(Photo of Evan on assignment in Egypt is from Presbyterian News Service.)

http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/faith/2008/11/reporters-tragic-death.html