To my brother, Ronnie: did you have any idea how sad our world would be without you?
I am Debbie, the oldest of the five Gallagher children. Ronnie Gallagher was the second born. Almost everyone knows Ronnie as the sports editor/sportswriter who took a personal interest in everyone he met, and he never met a stranger. He was genuinely involved with each story reported and, more importantly, the people in those stories.
I am humbled thinking of the lives he touched. With his style and caring, every interview, story and layout made a difference to an athlete, parent, school, coach, official and many times the town. I was always so very proud of him but I did not understand the extent of his reach until this week, with the outpouring of memories from so many people. My heart is bursting with pride and overwhelmed with sadness and loss.
He was “just my goofy little brother” so much of the time. I knew him always laughing but very sensitive, with a big heart for everyone and never an unkind word. He adored and treasured his family, Joan, Jack and Mackie. From the time he met Joan to the second each son was born, he was in love. Never has there been a father so proud of his boys, never.
What you may not know about Ronnie is that he was born to be a sportswriter. At age 8 he knew it. He always had a pen and pad in hand, and he wrote all of the time. His writing talent was a gift and a passion. He loved sports and people — a perfect match for his career. In grade school he knew stats and teams and could bore you with all sorts of details. The five of us grew up next to North Davidson High School. Ronnie loved the school and high school sports. He never lost his love and enthusiasm for the players, coaches and teams. He was always interested in each of them. I do not believe another person will be capable of duplicating the love, talent, detail, creativity and heart he brought to high school sports coverage. Thankfully, he mentored many.
We are shocked and we are stunned at this loss. It has been an honor to our family for so many to remember and love him. And, we thank you.
Life has broken our hearts by taking Ronnie away.
— Debbie Gallagher Merten

Cary
I’ve been hearing news that Obamacare will take effect Oct. 1. That’s not too far off.
Since I’m among the elderly, I’m not sure what they might do to me if I go to receive health care. I don’t want to leave this life on Earth any sooner than I have to. When I die, I want to die naturally. I don’t want someone to say “pull the plug.” Just keep a person comfortable without being attached to machines. It’s OK to say they may not last through the night, but it’s not OK to say they won’t last through the night. It’s up to God when I draw my last breath, and it’s not up to anyone else to predict when my last breath will be.
Even more vulnerable are the ones who are not allowed to even have a chance at life, or are either not allowed to come from their mother’s womb, or the ones who came out of their mother’s womb and were slaughtered. There’s another way to kill children, by salt injection through the mother’s womb; the baby is poisoned.
I’m sure this does not please God since he breathed into man’s (Adam’s) nostrils after forming him from the dust of the ground and life came into being and then Eve bearing the first child to Adam says to all mankind that man has no right to do away with life since God was the only one ever to have the ability to cause life to come into existence.
God told the prophet Jeremiah that he formed him in the belly and before he formed him in the belly he knew him. This says to me he already knew what he would look like — color of his eyes, hair, skin — and what his shape would look like — tall or short.
Getting back to Obamacare, you might be interested in calling the White House comment line to voice your concerns. The number is 1-202-456-1111.
— Carolyn Osian

Salisbury