An old friend on life support*

Found out about a friend’s heart attack via LA Observed at 2 a.m. and I’m a little stunned. I’d found him on Twitter and had begun following him. I’d been meaning to actually contact him, especially since I wanted him to become a member of AAJA again.

Both Trinity and I knew Vu — pictured to the right, smiling big — from our time at the Daily Titan. I probably worked with him more, as I worked with Vu for at least a year and a half, one semester of which he served as managing editor, I believe. Vu was so cool — all us cub reporters wanted to be like him. He was a freelancer at the OC Weekly at that point, and he just seemed to have swagger that none of us ever thought we would attain. I admit I crushed on him a little, because he seemed so on point with the Daily Titan. Yes, silly, I know. Sam knows what I’m talking about.

In this picture, we haven’t really kept up as we should have. Trinity and I obviously have kept up, and we’re still good friends with Sam and Rita, even though she’s across the country now. But Gus, Vu, Seth, Debra, Marlayna…all I see of you all is on Twitter and Facebook. Sometimes third hand. It’s sad, especially considering how much fun we all had when we went to San Francisco together and how much we all went through together at the Daily Titan.

This news has really taken our breath away. Its hard to focus on all the silly things we do every night — watch TV, play Scramble — because we’re thinking of how young Vu is, and how we’re just about at the same point in our lives — starting out in our careers, starting our families, trying to steadily prosper.

God bless you, Vu, and your wife, and we’ve got you and your family in our prayers. He would laugh at me now, but hey — I believe in miracles, so here’s to some miracle making.

*Updated Saturday, May 15

Vu died last night after being taken off life support. LAO has a roundup of stories, including one that my station’s Suzie Suh did. Most of the day yesterday, my class of DT’ers — Kat, Sam, Melanie, Magda — reminisced all day on Facebook about Vu and his shenanigans. It got to a point that I just had to stop because I was beginning to tear up while trying to cut the 3pm.

I feel terrible that the last time I saw Vu was at the Daily Titan reunion nearly four years ago.

I had to write the text for Suzie’s story and I never thought I’d have to do such a thing for a friend. Especially one so young.