Provide names of other journalists involved.
None
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
24-Nov-11
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Steve Super approached The Morning Call seven months before the story ran. It was an amazing story to begin with. A man who had lost his vision and spent eight years in the dark, reconstructing his life. During that time, he changed careers, married and conceived a child. When he had just about given up on the idea of recuperating his vision, he started to see again. It took me six months to confirm all of the details in the story. I also worked with the newspaper’s writing coach to imbue the piece with enough texture to guide our readers through his journey. The result was a Thanksgiving front page narrative that commanded the overwhelming response of our readers.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
I asked him to request copy of his medical records from Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. His story was remarkable, but I needed to substantiate all of the main milestones in his journey. Once this main hurdle was cleared, I delved into understanding the intricacies of his story. His faith was an important part of it and the piece needed to reflect that without overwhelming the tale. There was also the great challenge of trying to understand his experiences in the dark. We went over the same anecdotes multiple times in the course of six months. The writing was also a journey. Guided by a recommendation from the newspaper’s writing coach, we decided to publish the story with a surprise ending. It took a combination of all of these factors to produce the end result.
Explain types of human sources used.
N/A
Results:
The profile on Steve Super generated strong reader response, some of whom wrote letters to editor to thank the newspaper for publishing a life affirming story.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
N/A
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
. My main advice for someone trying to cover this beat in an innovative way is to identify those sources or stories that deserve long-term attention and include them into the day-to-day rhythm. The temptation is always strong to rush these stories into the paper, but time is often necessary to achieve command of its depth and themes.