It’s been ten years since my first boss at washingtonpost.com passed away. Bill Grant hired me in October of 1998 as a sports producer. It was my first ‘career’ job out of college. I suppose it helped that I lived right down the street from him, and had been recommended by another employee who was one of my former journalism professors, but I’d like to think I earned it.
I worked in the sports department for a couple of years, trying to make my mark on the company and get promoted to bigger and better things (a part-time sports producer doesn’t make much money). Bill allowed me to do that, giving me opportunity after opportunity to excel, and he taught me many lessons about journalism that I still use today.
In early 2007, after he found out he was sick, he brought me back to work part time in the sports department, though I had moved on to a different company. I accepted, often working Friday nights after leaving my day job.
Today, I’m back at The Post. Many of the things I did and learned in those first few years, under his direction, left a lasting impression and I’ll never forget him.
Via his wife, Tracy Grant: I was my husband’s caregiver as he was dying of cancer. It was the best seven months of my life.