Dear Gwen Ifill,

Yesterday, I heard you had died.
I didn’t even know you were sick.
I did notice recently that you had
lost weight and commented to my
wife how good you looked think-
ing the weight loss was intentional
and all for the good. Little did we
know. We watched news journalists
on various stations pay you tribute.
The persons gathered at the PBS
Newshour to reflect on your life
and their relationships with you,
to a person, couldn’t hold back the
tears. I sat and cried with them.
Your pastor spoke of the Ifill
family’s heritage as leaders in
the African Methodist Episcopal
Church and how you were a person
of strong faith evidenced in in-
tegrity, honesty, toughness,
gentleness, compassion and a smile
to outshine the sun. I know you
are a person of faith and so I’m
glad I had this opportunity to
speak to you personally. I will,
so much, miss that smile.