ONE HELL OF A STORY

(To be clear: I'm not accusing Hollandsworth of fabricating anything. I'd just like to hear how he did what he did before I am 100% convinced everything is 100% accurate. No doubt the story is substantially accurate...I just wonder about some things at the margins.)

 

When I was reading the first few graphs I was wondering how Hollandsworth knew what the kid was doing the day leading up to the injury. Then when I found out that Hollandsworth never interviewed the kid and found out about the subject from reading his obit, it really made me wonder.

Though, I guess all of that information could have been in previous stories written about him.

I'd be very curious about the process of all of this as well.

 

Here nor there...
That was a goddamn good story.

 

Remarkable piece of writing, journalism, WTF ever. Just completely and utterly compelling.

 

Very tough to read in the newsroom and trying to keep composed. I lost it on page 5 during Ann and John's last moment together.

What an incredible woman. Incredible story.

 

I sent it to my mom, who has likewise spent much of her life attending to the needs of a disabled child (though with disabilities less severe than John's). Haven't heard back from her - my guess is that she's composing a 3000-word letter to Hollandsworth while bawling.

 

There are some valid points in your last two graphs.
As for the first one ...

I can't imagine ANYONE in that situation - whether they had masturbated three decades ago or not - not wondering what the sensation of sexual intercourse actually felt like. Not sure what rings so untrue about that quote.

As for the mom. Good grief. What a saint. And what a great, great story.

 

Beautiful.

 

Well, I'm done for the night. My mom and I took similar care of my dad for several weeks last year. (Weeks, not years.) He was able to move and could walk short distances with a walker, but he had no strength and needed help with everything except eating. It was very hard - for all of us - and we had some outside help. I cannot imagine how the mother persevered all those years. I do know that one thing she said was absolutely true for me -- that it was an honor. RIP John. RIP Ann. I hope Henry is able to find some peace during the rest of his life.

:'( :'(

 

The worst part is, you know how it ends, but was hoping by some medical miracle he was able to maybe get up. I don't know, knew it wasn't going to happen, but I kept reading wishing it did.

 

The questions raised about re-creation of some scenes are valid, but that said, I'm pretty sure almost none of you detractors have anything close to approaching Skip Hollandsworth's portfolio of work. Just sayin'

 

First off, that has no bearing on anyone's ability to bring up valid questions about the story, as incredibly written as it was. That's the purpose of this board, to have open discussion.

Second, without knowing the true identities of some of the people commenting on here, I wouldn't paint that conclusion with such a broad brush, especially if you have seen those who post under their real names on here (i.e. Dave Kindred).