On Jan. 14, Nicholas Orrange was in a fatal one-car accident. He was heading north on Harlem Road at about 1:30 a.m. when he struck a retaining wall in front of a bridge abutment on Sheridan Drive and died.
I didn't know who he was. I had never met him.
That same day, I was asked to write a story depicting his life and death. This included calling his close friends, trying to contact his family, reading breaking news on the story and attempting to depict Nick in a way that would do his memory justice.
Though I never knew Nick personally, I felt like I met him on that Thursday. The comments made, by not only his family and close friends but by his colleagues in SA, all painted the same picture of a hilarious, outgoing guy who had the world at his feet.
This experience was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I felt like I was taking a magnifying glass to Nick's life and pinpointing the best parts to depict. I didn't get to include how adventurous he was, as last summer he decided just to up and go to Europe. I didn't get to tell all of the humorous stories his friends told me that, while mildly inappropriate, displayed his true spice for life.
I am sorry that I never got to meet this wonderful person I have heard so much about.
I was also uncomfortable with this process at first. I felt awful when I had to ask tough questions to those who were mourning the loss of a friend and even worse when I felt I had gone too far. I wanted to do Nick's memory justice.
I realized the weekend after Nick's death that while this experience was an emotional undertaking, he deserved to have his memory preserved in text forever. My friends and family helped me realize that.
I was told before I began writing this story, 'It will change you forever, and your writing won't be the same.' I didn't fully understand that comment until after I had finished the article and it had gone to print. My job as a journalist is to always tell a story in the best way, and in a way that tells the honest truth and depicts a situation or person to the fullest. I hope I did that with Nick's story.
I will always remember Nicholas Orrange, a bright, humorous, well-loved member of not only our community here at UB, but also of a family who loved and supported him.
Every time I think of a story and start to lose focus or don't feel like writing about it anymore, I will think back to this story and remember Nick and remember that every story is worth being told. Every person has a story.
E-mail: chelsie.hinckley@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
