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I work for Buzzfeed, run The BuzzFeed tumblr, do sketches for Student Loans For Beer Money, and when I'm not doing all that I'm usually livetweeting about the television I'm watching like a cool person.
~ Sunday, December 16 ~
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BuzzFeed Social Media Editor Mike Hayes is from Newtown, CT. His post describing the tragedy that hit his hometown is touching and sad all the same.

michaelhayes:

shortformblog:

Before I started at BuzzFeed, I worked at My Place Pizza, a Newtown staple, from the age of 15 through 22. On a typical Friday, by far the busiest night of the week, we made 300-400 pies. I can’t help wonder how many pizzas My Place made this past Friday night.

I was there on September 11, 2001, and making pizzas proved to be an effective way to take my mind off what was happening 50 miles away. On Friday morning, working at a job that requires me to stare at Twitter all day, I didn’t have the luxury of work as an escape, of distracting me from that 50-mile divide. I heard the news of the shooting at 9:30, and didn’t take my eyes off Twitter for the next 10 hours as things played out in a strange and confusing way. By noon, I had to turn off my phone. I simply posted on Facebook: “Thank you for all your texts, emails, tweets, gchats. No one from my family is in Newtown at this time. Everyone is okay.”

That had to have been a tough one to write, but the perspective is enlightening. Thanks Mike for being willing to share.

Thank you for sharing this, Ernie. I really appreciate it.


88 notes
  1. iamwhatbecameofthelikelylads reblogged this from nedhepburn
  2. bookshopsessions reblogged this from aimabovetheclouds and added:
    This is heart wrenching in its sincerity. The only read to make me tear up.
  3. aimabovetheclouds reblogged this from michaelhayes and added:
    Great read from my name twin.
  4. jenndoesnotcare reblogged this from ryanhatesthis and added:
    I remember at the Thurston shooting, Mrs Duffy, white-knuckled, waiting to hear if her husband was okay.
  5. theworldaccordingtoevie reblogged this from shortformblog
  6. ryanhatesthis reblogged this from michaelhayes
  7. michaelhayes reblogged this from shortformblog and added:
    Thank you for sharing this, Ernie. I really appreciate it.
  8. aramzs reblogged this from shortformblog
  9. jenconnic reblogged this from shortformblog and added:
    As someone who grew up and still has strong connections to that area (I’m from two towns over), Mike really captures...
  10. houseoforange said: Oh man. It seems more than just the direct victims were affected. Please, we have to do something about this, America!
reblogged via michaelhayes