EDITORIAL: Rachel Sandell – The Ripple Effect
By Kim SampsonI do not write very many editorial pieces. I feel a journalist needs to just report facts and let the readers come to their own conclusions. But, this is an editorial, of sorts. It is not your typical news story…but, a story which needs to be told, again and again. I am not even sure it fits with the format of Range News Now, since this young woman is not from the Range, she is actually from Duluth…but, the story is beyond borders. It is about a young woman whose life was a stone thrown into calm waters…and the ripples from that impact. It is about how those ripples touch so many. It is about learning to live…and learning to die.
Rachel Sandell, age 18, died on Sunday, October 16.
Many of you may recall first hearing about Rachel Sandell at the Minnesota State Hockey Tournaments, last spring. As the Duluth East Greyhounds were pushing through the brackets at State, Rachel was in Reno, Nevada getting a new treatment for her Stage 4 liver cancer. A diagnosis, like a rock thrown at you. It hurts, but do you cower in fear, or do you stand up and face life and death head-on?
Opinion: Bitter UNR/UNLV vendetta makes both sides appear uncivilized, foolish
I hate the University of Nevada, Reno/ University of Nevada, Las Vegas rivalry. There, I said it.
I am not anti-sports, against healthy competition or even tailgating. I love the battle for the cannon and have devoted many Sundays to the big screen with chips and beer. But when abysmal sportsmanship, constant expletives and ignorant stereotyping ruin a great game, I take issue. Nevada fans, both Northern and Southern, I’m talking to you.
Want to talk smack about how your Rebels are going to slaughter us in basketball? Go right ahead. Should UNR boast about our (former) nationally recognized football team? Probably. But someone please explain to me why the status of UNR’s football team has anything to do with the city of Reno, the supposed unattractiveness of our students, our “poor” education or even our cold weather?
This goes both ways. Why is it even remotely relevant to talk about the hookers in Vegas, their one-dimensional revenue stream or the promiscuity of their students? I’ve lived in both cities, and last time I checked, neither have anything to do with the outcome of the game.
The student body at Duluth East gathered in support by wearing “The Love is On” T-shirts and holding up blue signs at the hockey games, with “The Love is On” printed on them. It was all for Rachel. The students wanted her to know that while she sat at
What brings Jan Blain to Mesquite, Nevada? “No harsh winters, perfect driving distance from family and location,” she states. “We even moved here without ever even seeing the town first! And, we love it here!!” The Mesquite Senior Center is located at
