The sad passing of NBC's Tim Russert

I am shocked and saddened by the death of Tim Russert.

I knew Tim Russert. He spoke to me. He touched me personally.

But, not in the conventional way. He spoke to me through his books and his work in the news. He wrote about his early life in Buffalo and about his father, Big Russ. He loved his son, Luke.

I had a feeling of kinship with him. I grew up in Chicago with much the same early life as a youngster; Catholic schools, father working two jobs to make do. Pushed to do the best you can and better.

I never missed his show on Sunday mornings. He never let his guest get away with a non-answer. He was tough but never embarrassed anyone on the panel. Tim Russert was, is, an American institution.

The death of Tim Russert is a great loss, not only to his friends and colleagues, but to the ordinary people of the country who every Sunday tuned in to "Meet the Press" to get the news of the day with sincere and respectful objectivity.

Timothy D. O'Reilly

Chicago