[stylist] littleton tragedy blog/comment posts, was Donna's post of article

Sun Dec 19 00:17:34 UTC 2010

Jim,
The way blind people are portrayed in comments on the internet is a pet 
peeve of mine. I often find things that are offensive or woefully 
ill-informed, and I try to leave level-headed responses when I can. Many 
times, though, you have to register to leave comments and it isn't worth 
the hassle.
Donna

Read Donna's articles on
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Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
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Donna is Head of Media Relations for the nonprofit
Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind:
www.padnfb.org

On 12/18/2010 5:31 PM, James H. "Jim" Canaday M.A. N6YR wrote:
> Donna et al,
> I heard about this pretty early. apparently there was concern about 
> some things being posted by bloggers/commenters on public news sites, 
> I do not know which ones.
>
> this is tragic news and I pray that the families of all three and all 
> the people at CCB get lots of care and support.
>
> apparently a few people were posting offensive things about blind 
> people. by the time I got there and looked at the sites I could find, 
> I didn't see very much. I think that perhaps system admins had removed 
> some, or I had not found what was the worst, I don't know.
>
> I used a yahoo news search and then looked at comments under the 
> articles or TV news coverage.
>
> this is one way that we as blind writers can make a difference. 
> blogging and simple comments online are very immediate but also can 
> have a very powerful impact. we can challenge attitudes such as that 
> blind people cannot know how to get out of the way of a car, or that 
> our going about our lives with dignity is so remarkable. those two 
> were the only problems I found in looking at online comments on this 
> sad tragedy in Littleton Colorado.
> there was one reference to "those people" meaning blind people but 
> "those people" may not be necessarily intended or taken as negative by 
> itself.
> jc
>
>
> At 12:43 PM 12/18/2010, you wrote:
>> The Denver Post
>> Saturday, December 18, 2010
>> Blind man killed when car slides on ice, hits three people at 
>> Littleton bus stop
>> By Howard Pankratz and Carlos Illescas The Denver Post
>> Posted: 12/18/2010 01:00:00 AM MST
>> Updated: 12/18/2010 06:30:20 AM MST
>> 1217/20101217__20101218_A01_CD18STRUCK~p1_200
>> "He made you feel at home. If you had a problem, he would lift you 
>> up." Kenny Flack, a classmate of David Nanney's, left. Nanney was 
>> killed Friday.
>>
>> David Nanney planned to return to Baltimore today — during a two-week 
>> break from classes at the Colorado Center for the Blind — to spend 
>> the holidays with
>> family and friends.
>>
>> But as he waited for a bus Friday morning with two other visually 
>> impaired students to attend a holiday party at the school, an 
>> out-of-control car hit all
>> three on the sidewalk, killing Nanney, 47.
>>
>> Nanney died at Littleton Adventist Hospital. Two women were being 
>> treated for injuries described by police as "very serious." Their 
>> names were not released,
>> but police said one is 18 years old and the other 26. A school 
>> representative said they suffered broken bones but were expected to 
>> recover.
>>
>> The accident occurred on the southeast
>>
>> 1218/20101218__crash~p1_200
>> Click on image to enlarge ( | )
>> corner of West Mineral Avenue and South Utica Drive. The 21-year-old 
>> female driver of the car apparently slid on ice as she turned right 
>> onto Mineral Avenue
>> from northbound Utica Drive and lost control of her vehicle.
>>
>> Littleton police spokesman Sean Dugan said the ice was a contributing 
>> factor. But the driver, who has not been named, will be charged after 
>> the investigation
>> is completed, he said.
>>
>> "Our hearts really go out to the family members of all three victims 
>> and to the person responsible for the accident," Dugan said. "You've 
>> got a younger
>> person who feels terrible about what she's done."
>>
>> Officials from the school said the students' blindness had nothing to 
>> do with the accident.
>>
>> Julie Deden, executive director of the Colorado Center for the Blind, 
>> said Nanney was a leader to the 25 students at the school. Students 
>> typically attend
>> for nine-month training in life skills, Braille and other areas.
>>
>> Just recently, Nanney helped organize a Christmas giveaway to a 
>> family adopted by the students for the holiday. Nanney arranged to 
>> secure the gifts and
>> was at the family's home Thursday to deliver the goodies.
>>
>> "The gentleman was such a leader," Deden said of Nanney.
>>
>> Nanney's wife said her husband was an accomplished carpenter and 
>> home-improvement contractor in Baltimore. He made custom pieces, and 
>> his only form of advertising
>> was word of mouth.
>>
>> "He was a real artist," Ann Nanney said.
>>
>> Nanney started losing his eyesight about 10 years ago, his wife said. 
>> They later learned he suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, a disease 
>> that damages the
>> retina — leading to loss of vision — and gets worse over time.
>>
>> The Nanneys were married for 20 years and have a 19- year-old 
>> daughter who is in college.
>>
>> Ann said her husband was as happy at the CCB as he had ever been in 
>> his life.
>>
>> "He was a good person when he went to the Colorado Center for the 
>> Blind, but this morning when he got out of bed, he was a better 
>> person," Ann Nanney said
>> Friday. "He grew so much there."
>>
>> Nanney was a musician. He played acoustic guitar and recently 
>> performed with his roommate, Jay Pellis, at the Mellow Mushroom in 
>> Centennial.
>>
>> Neighbors of the Pinnacle at Mountain Gate apartment complex where he 
>> and the other students lived enjoyed his music so much they didn't 
>> mind at all that
>> Nanney played for hours on his balcony.
>>
>> "His voice was like an angel," said neighbor Coraleen Ekstrom, who 
>> burst into tears when she learned of his death. "Music was definitely 
>> one of his passions."
>>
>> Fellow CCB student Kenny Flack said Nanney was well liked by everyone.
>>
>> "He would joke and laugh and make you feel part of the group," Flack 
>> said. "He made you feel at home. If you had a problem, he would lift 
>> you up."
>>
>> Deden said she spoke with Ann Nanney on Friday when she notified her 
>> of her husband's death and the first thing Ann said was to make sure 
>> Nanney's organs
>> were donated to others.
>>
>> The CCB canceled the holiday party and plans to have a memorial for 
>> Nanney when students return in two weeks.
>>
>> "We are like a family," Deden said. "It is going to be difficult."
>>
>> Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or
>> hpankratz at denverpost.com
>>
>> -- 
>> Read Donna's articles on
>> Suite 101:
>> www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/donna_hill
>> Ezine Articles:
>> http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=D._W._Hill
>> American Chronicle:
>> www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885
>>
>> Connect with Donna on
>> Twitter:
>> www.twitter.com/dewhill
>> LinkedIn:
>> www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
>> FaceBook:
>> www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.
>>
>> Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
>> cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
>> Apple I-Tunes
>> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374 
>>
>>
>> Check out the "Sound in Sight" CD project
>> Donna is Head of Media Relations for the nonprofit
>> Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind:
>> www.padnfb.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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