Tim Russert would have turned 69 years old today.
It’s hard to believe he passed away more than a decade ago. An entire decade without this man who was so beloved in Buffalo and around the country. Tim Russert grew up in South Buffalo, went to Canisius High School before heading off to John Carroll University. Russert became a household name as the moderator of Meet the Press – and it was there we all saw how smart, fair, and determined a journalist he was. We also saw his undying love for Buffalo.
He was like all of us – protective of our home, a bit sensitive to negative comments and oh-so thirsty for a sports championship. He wore his love on his sleeve – literally – and never wavered in his love and support of Buffalo and Western New York.
I was so fortunate to get to know Tim Russert during my time at Channel Two. He would stop in every now and again and loved chatting about everything from sports to politics. He was down to earth, kind and generous with his time. The last conversation I had with him was months before he passed away – we talked about how historic the upcoming presidential election was. He never got to see how things turned out.
Every now and again – I can’t help but wonder what Tim Russert would think about the state of politics in our nation right now. I wonder too, what he would think about the Pegulas and the future of the Bills and Sabres. One thing is certain – I know how happy and impressed he would be with how far Buffalo has come in the past decade, he’d surely appreciate this renaissance.
We sure do miss you, Tim.
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