A Tribute to Carol Anne Burger

Update: Since this tribute was written, the authorities have determined that Carol Anne Burger, one of OffTheBus' volunteer citizen journalists, murdered her former partner, Jessica Kalish, and then killed herself. It goes without saying that this is a tragedy for both the Kalish and Burger families, and all who knew them. Our thoughts go out to them. For more on this tragic story, click here.

The Huffington Post's OffTheBus is deeply saddened to report that one of our writers, Carol Anne Burger, died on Friday, October 24.

The circumstances of her death remain unclear; police believe she may have taken her own life after learning that her roommate -- and former partner -- had been found dead.

Carol Anne, an award-winning photojournalist and former editor, was an OffTheBus Election Correspondent. She used her background in journalism to bring us ground reports from her home state of Florida - and was very excited to be writing about the presidential election and filed multiple stories a week. She covered a wide range of stories including early voting in Florida, a summit on green jobs with Barack Obama and swing-state governors and a Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation event. Her high energy and curiosity kept OffTheBus editors on our toes. Vermonter Christian Avard - who worked with Carol Anne on her final dispatch - wrote that she was "always fun to work with, cheerful, and always very supportive. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of Carol Anne Burger and Jessica Kalish."

Comments

[majorteddy]

How sad. My sympathies to her friends and family and coworkers.

[IndependenceDame]

Our family sends our deepest sympathy and prayers to both Ms. Burger's and Ms. Kalish's families.

[ProgressiveInAZ]

My prayers, thoughts and condolences to her family and friends.

[rdplum]

I kept looking at Carol Anne's picture to see if I could discern any unhappiness, but couldn't. We hide so well, sometimes. As the holidays approach, this may be an especially painful time for the families and my heart goes out to them. As others have written, I, too, have enjoyed Carol's writing and will miss her thoughts. May her heart and soul be at peace now as well as her families and friends be at peace after grieving their lose.

Peace

[MIMom]

Oh, how sad. I'm so sorry. Condolences to the family...

[Palemoon]

This is such a sad story. And I hope HuffPo keeps us informed about what brought this all about. Either way, it must be heartbreaking to her family and friends. My heart goes out to them along with my prayers.

[maddy03]

I am sorry to learn of her passing. Thoughts and prayers from myself and my entire family are going out to her family. Everyone please try to understand depression. I am bi-polar; therefore, I know from whence I speak. Depression has taken my cousin's life. I have attempted suicide seriously three times. They all failed. I concluded that my purpose was to find help(which I did) and live my life. Suicide has been said to be an act of weakness or selfishness. It isn't, It is pain beyond belief. My her soul find peace and her friends and family understand that she did her best. That is all any of us can ask of ourselves and others.

Blessed be.

[paulita]

Please continue to seek any help you need an remember that whatever is bad that day,

"This too shall pass."

Look out for yourself and your health

[hellie]

Thank you for your candid words and insight, maddy03. "Pain beyond belief" is the truth about why people attempt suicide. And, it is worth noting that a person suffering depression is often trying harder than "her best."

My heart aches for Carol Anne, and for her friends and family. How fortunate for us all that her writing lives on.

[GiannaX]

Namaste, Carol...

[VTya]

I live in Florida and was saddened to hear of this loss to the Huffington Post family. The story she was planning to work on would highlight the plight of poor people in Florida who, through no fault of their own, rely on dwindling food banks to survive in bad economic times. The best way to honor her memory is by making sure the stories are told and to go out and vote.
R.I.P.

[TAIsabel]

As I stepped into the elevator this morning, a fellow co-worker said hello and asked how I was. I answered, "great, thank you". She was caught by surprise and answered "How can you be great, have you made a lot of money, the market is crap?!" My answer was, "I am well because I focus on the important things in my life, not on money. The health of my daughter, family and friends mean much more to me than money. Money comes and goes". She was speechless.

As I read this sad news today, it confirms my feelings. Only the happiness and health of your loved ones should concern you, money cannot buy either one. My condolences to the families.

[Nebris]

Yes.

[irisda]

My condolences to her family and loved ones

[Okieborn]

I enjoyed this ladys off the bus columns and am deeply saddened !!!
Get out the vote for her memory !!!!

[FogBelter]

Condolences.

[getoffthecross]

Elections can bring people together even while dividing us, but it becomes easy to forget that we are all on our unique journey, the circumstances of which can seem overwhelming. It is doubly troubling that someone working so hard for November couldn't see her work through to its culmination. My sympathies go out to those left behind, but I mourn most for her lost closure. November 4 will have bittersweet emotions as Carol, Tim Russert and many more will be unable to share in these historic times.

[onenvrnos]

Sometimes we love another human being so much that we fail to realize there is life without that person. While we are told that there is much more to life than one person whom we love, our feeling of loss is nevertheless unequalled to anything we have felt before.

My condolences to Carol Anne and her partner's family and friends.