On the loss of a good friend

There are so many things one can say in times like these. There are so many things one should say in times like these. \nDave Adams was more than our publisher. Dave was our friend. Dave was my friend. \nWalking through the doors of the Indiana Daily Student for the first time is never an easy task for an easily intimidated freshman. But when I did, I entered a world I had neither expected nor could have comprehended. Yet the first and most memorable professional face upon my arrival was Dave’s, and there was nothing about the man that echoed anything but warmth, compassion and genuine love for the students with whom he worked. \nI came to know Dave better after joining the ranks of the IDS desk editors this past spring and after my appointment as editor-in-chief this summer. The position was nothing short of terrifying to me, because I had little idea what was expected of me from one day to the next.\nDave took it all in stride. He counseled me through my many concerns, problems, highs and lows. \nI was, at first, worried that Dave might be forced to shoulder all of these problems I seemed to be bringing to his doorstep. It wasn’t until I sat down with him that I realized he did not just tolerate those issues – he welcomed them.\nIt was then that I realized how much Dave Adams relished working with student journalists. It was more than his job or his passion – it was his life. \nHe committed himself to bettering those of us fortunate enough to work under his guidance during his time at IU. His generosity, patience and kindness knew no bounds. \nOne of the most popular newsroom stories about Dave revolves around the night, years ago, when a former editor-in-chief was arrested and taken to jail.\nDave came to the jail in the early morning hours, bailed the student out and accompanied him to his court date. \nWhile others would have abandoned such a student for his or her mistake, Dave became a best friend and father figure to the person at a time when his guidance was needed most.\nI remember sitting with Dave not long after the end of the spring semester, just chatting on general topics. He remarked to me how bittersweet our final “Slash” each semester is for him (Slash is a term we use for a weekly staff meeting where we review the week’s papers, what we did well, what needs work, etc.). \nFinal Slash is generally a moment for graduating seniors to say their goodbyes to the newsroom, talk about future plans and recall favorite memories from their years with the IDS.\nAt Final Slash meetings, Dave always talked about how much he loved every senior and how proud he was of each of them. But he found the moment bittersweet each semester because he cared so much about every staff member who ever walked through the newsroom doors. \nDave Adams was so many things to so many people. He was a fervent advocate of First Amendment rights. He was a trusted and gifted adviser to countless editors-in-chief during their time here at IU. He was a talented and unique individual.\nBut Dave Adams was, more than anything, a friend. He would walk with you through rough moments. He would bail you out of jail. He would counsel editors like myself through professional crises as he had done for years because it was his joy to do so. \nDave Adams was an educator, an inspiring leader and a champion of his profession. But personally, Dave was my friend, and I will miss him very much.