My husband and I were driving around our city, looking at all the devastating flooding that has literally destroyed our beautiful city and state (we live in the capital city)........it was just devastating....when, all of a sudden, the radio station broadcast a special announcement......that Tim Russert was dead.........I just cried out, "no, no, no......it cannot be." He's just a year younger than I and so really hit home.......
He was an incredible human being, and I think we all could take "lessons" from him.....even though he was in Washington, D.C., he never forgot his "common roots," and he was a devout Christian with a deep, deep faith in God (I just KNOW he has a special place in Heaven now!).......he was one of the most fair, honest journalists around, who gave all a "fair shake."
As I sat and watched his memorial,, crying most of the time, I just kept thinking of what a huge loss our country has suffered..........Tim Russert cannot, and will not, ever be replaced.
Tim, may you rest in peace, and God bless you forever and ever........
He was one of a kind!
N.C. Davenport
Iowa

I read "Big Russ and Me" because my father was alchoholic and I wanted to know how a father's life could become the bedrock of a son's life. I cried throughout the reading and wished I had a dad like Big Russ. I wondered too how Tim remained such a devoted Catholic throughout his life despite the sordidness he must have witnessed in Washington. Tim Russert believed in God and served him always by loving him and following in his footsteps. I miss him terribly, I miss the love of the man whose faith shone on the TV screen every Sunday morning. His life now guides me to love God and to believe in his goodness.

You were loaned to earth for awhile and we often saw your angelic nature expressed in kindness toward many less fortunate. Even though you were blessed to work with some of the so-called greatest talents on earth in your field your focus was outward and down. You choose and honored most deeply those who could repay you very little except a kind word or deed or hug. But heaven will never forget the seeds of hope you sowed. The return on that investment is priceless and will keep on giving.

Mr. Russert was pushed over the edge by a year and a half of primarys, debates, delegate nonsense, that if this election was not spread out all over the place his health would not have been jeapordized so gravely. His contribution to this process however, will be appreciated for years to come, he kept it real, he kept it invigorating, and he kept our attention and our respect. The only other journalist alive now, who will deserve and receive the accolades similarly bestowed on Mr. Russert, will be Walter Cronkite.

I WANT TO COMMEND MSNBC FOR TELEVISING THE CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF TIMOTHY RUSSERT. ALTHOUGH I AM IRISH, I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED AN IRISH WAKE UNTIL NOW. I AM AT A TOTAL LOSS TO EXPLAIN MY SADNESS AT THE LOSS OF TIM, EXCEPT TO SAY I FEEL LIKE I LOST A CLOSE FRIEND. BUT THE MEMORIAL AT KENNEDY CENTER WAS EXCEPTIONAL. MSNBC CAN BE EXTREMELY PROUD, THE EULOGIES GIVEN BY EVERYONE ON STAGE WERE EXCEPTIONAL. PROBABLY THE MOST HILARIOUS, ALTHOUGH TRUE, MOMENT OCCURRED WHEN AL HUNT EXPRESSED THE SENTIMENT THAT THE BABY BORN TO TIM AND MAUREEN WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT BIRTH IN 2,000 YEARS. ALL OF THE SPEAKERS, AS I SAID BEFORE, WERE SUPERB. IT WAS SO TOUCHING TO HEAR “THUNDER ROAD” (MY FAVORITE SONG) BY TIM’S GUITAR PLAYING BROTHER-IN-LAW AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AND UNBELIEVABLY COOL TO HEAR SPRINGSTEEN SING. IT WAS A SIMPLE AND MAJESTIC CEREMONY. I AM AWARE THAT IS A CONTRADICTION BUT SOMEHOW I BELIEVE THAT SUMS UP TIM. WHAT A VOID THERE IS GOING TO BE IN THE POLITICAL WORLD AS WELL AS THE WORLD ITSELF. BY THE WAY, WHEN IS MSNBC GOING TO HIRE TIM’S SON? I DON’T CARE IN WHAT CAPACITY IT IS IN BUT THAT IS ONE MAGNIFICENT 22 YEAR-OLD. THAT YOUNG MAN SHOWED A POISE THAT IS TRULY UNREAL. ALL I KNOW IS THAT I WANT TO SEE MORE OF HIM. I AM 60 AND I HOPE I SEE HIM BEFORE I DIE. MARY ELLEN MICHIGAN I WANT TO COMMEND MSNBC FOR TELEVISING THE CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF TIMOTHY RUSSERT. ALTHOUGH I AM IRISH, I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED AN IRISH WAKE UNTIL NOW. I AM AT A TOTAL LOSS TO EXPLAIN MY SADNESS AT THE LOSS OF TIM, EXCEPT TO SAY I FEEL LIKE I LOST A CLOSE FRIEND. BUT THE MEMORIAL AT KENNEDY CENTER WAS EXCEPTIONAL. MSNBC CAN BE EXTREMELY PROUD, THE EULOGIES GIVEN BY EVERYONE ON STAGE WERE EXCEPTIONAL. PROBABLY THE MOST HILARIOUS, ALTHOUGH TRUE, MOMENT OCCURRED WHEN AL HUNT EXPRESSED THE SENTIMENT THAT THE BABY THAT WAS BORN TO TIM AND MAUREEN WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT BIRTH IN 2,000 YEARS. ALL OF THE SPEAKERS, AS I SAID BEFORE, WERE SUPERB. IT WAS SO TOUCHING TO HEAR “THUNDER ROAD” (MY FAVORITE SONG) BY TIM’S GUITAR PLAYING BROTHER-IN-LAW AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AND UNBELIEVABLY COOL TO HEAR SPRINGSTEEN SING. IT WAS A SIMPLE AND MAJESTIC CEREMONY. I AM AWARE THAT IS A CONTRADICTION BUT SOMEHOW I BELIEVE THAT SUMS UP TIM. WHAT A VOID THERE IS GOING TO BE IN THE POLITICAL WORLD AS WELL AS THE WORLD ITSELF. BY THE WAY, WHEN IS MSNBC GOING TO HIRE TIM’S SON? THAT IS ONE MAGNIFICENT 22 YEAR-OLD. THAT YOUNG MAN SHOWED A POISE THAT IS TRULY REMARKABLE. ALL I KNOW IS THAT I WANT TO SEE MORE OF HIM. I AM 60 AND I HOPE I SEE HIM BEFORE I DIE. MSNBC BETTER GRAB HIM BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES/

MARY ELLEN MICHIGAN

What a great American... I sat in my living room and just cried ...I did not know him only from T.V. He left this great Country doing what he loved .. Not all can say that ... My thoughts and prayers to his family..I hope Big Russ is doing okay..Vicki Arizona