Another good-bye

I lost my baby brother to cancer in April. Maybe that is part of the reason I have been so attuned to other deaths from cancer lately. Last night, it was announced that Peter Jennings had died, at 67, of lung cancer. He was a heavy smoker for most of his life, as had been my brother and my mother. As an ex-smoker myself, I cannot take the cynical attitude of a lot of non-smokers that these deaths were a form of suicide- the intent was never to die, to heaven's sake; it was to be calmer, or to suppress the appetite, or to seem mature. And the addiction is invidious and entrapping, as anyone who has ever tried to break the habit can attest. I quit smoking six years ago after numerous failed attempts, and - sorry, Tom Cruise- I used a drug to finally do it (Zyban). I think I saved my own life, but not my health. After 24 years of smoking, I have decreased lung capacity and traces of emphysema. Nothing critical, thank God, but enough to let me know how damaging that addiction has been, and no guarantee that it won't lead to cancer in my future despite the past six years of non-smoking.

I met Peter Jennings when I was in high school. I attended a journalism workshop at Ohio University and he was the guest speaker. David Brinkley, a hero of mine, was supposed to be the speaker, but the program was changed at the last minute, and frankly, many of us were deeply disappointed... until he started to speak. Okay, to be honest, until we got a good look at him. He was drop dead gorgeous, much prettier than David Brinkley, and, at 16, that made him romantic in my eyes. He instantly had our attention and he spoke to us like we were informed adults, and spoke to our better angels. He was inspiring. After his talk, he met with many of us- all the teenage girls who were hoping to be noticed and some of the boys who were serious about journalism and me, who was both. He was very kind. He patiently answered our questions, and asked us our names, which he remembered to use in his replies. He shook my hand and wished me well in my career; at that time, I was convinced I was going to work for UPI. I didn't, of course, but it meant a lot to me, a young girl in the 60's, that Peter Jennings seemed to think it was perfectly logical and natural that I would. He was a lovely man.

I realize now that it must have been early in his career when he spoke to us, since I met him almost 40 years ago. He was no more than 27 at the time. I followed his career the rest of his life, and felt he was the kind of journalist I would have liked to have been; eloquent, curious, informed and informative. And beautiful all the way into his 60's.

I will miss his presence on the television. I hate that cancer killed him. I hate that smoking caused the cancer.