From left to right, Nanor Balabanian, Ayelet Bitton, and Alexandra Messick, the past recipients of the Anna Luskin Memorial Award in 2008, 2009, and 2011. Contributions to the fund can be made out to the Anna Luskin Memorial Award and sent to: Palo Alto Unified School District Care of Thien Le, trusts 25 Churchill Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, 94301
to make time for anyone who seemed to with minor injuries, Luskin’s injuries were old when she died, Luskin had already need her. Her brother, Danny, remem- fatal. planned out what she wanted to do with bered Luskin as being extraordinary in Her death was felt throughout the her life, encompassing marriage, family, the way she always listened to people and Palo Alto community. More than 360 work, and everything else that mattered seemed interested in everything they had attendees showed up to the memorial to her. In a one-page assignment for a to say, how she was always both caring service at Paly. Although he considers college class, she had mapped everything and outgoing, and the way that she tried himself a hardened journalist, Thorwald- out, balancing both career success and to remember the little things. son, the former editor of the Weekly, re- caring for others. “She loved to talk to people,” Danny members choking up when he spoke at Luskin wrote about becoming the says. “And she was always interested in the service. editor of the Weekly, a sentiment that what was going on in the world.” “Someone who’s been a journalist for touched Thorwaldson. She hoped that And despite her stress and confusion 50-something years shouldn’t have a soft “the people [she] loved knew how much navigating high school [she] loved and appreciated and adulthood, Luskin them.” And she mentioned was able to laugh at herher boyfriend, whom she self. According to Danplanned to marry after their ny, she was not known graduation from Cal Poly. for her sense of direcAfter the accident, her tion. When they drove, boyfriend asked for permishe would always try to sion from her parents to steer her the right way, marry her while she was still but she would insist that on life-support, and they held she knew where she was the ceremony in Luskin’s — former editor of the Palo Alto Weekly JAY THORWALDSON going, not wanting to hospital room, according to admit that she was lost. Thorwaldson. “‘I know where I’m going,’” Danny spot,” Thorwaldson says. “But I cried a “It was very touching,” Thorwaldremembers his sister telling him. “[But] little bit.” son says. “You’d think that some of these once she realized that she was lost, she After Luskin’s death, an award was things would get easier. I find that it never could sit there and laugh for five minutes. dedicated in her name. Given out at the gets does. And so in Anna’s case she was She was that kind of person.” Paly Senior Awards Night each year, the vibrant and full of life. It was very hard Luskin had just completed her sec- Anna Rose Luskin Memorial Award for to see.” ond year at Cal Poly in 2007 when she Excellence in Journalism is awarded to a “I made sure no one in my life felt and her brother, driving home together student who has shown exemplary skill in neglected,” Luskin wrote in the last lines from southern California, were involved journalism each year. of her college assignment. “I lived a very in a car crash. Although Danny survived Even though she was only 20 years fulfilling life, filled with lots of love.” v
“Someone who’s been a journalist for 50-something years shouldn’t have a soft spot, but I cried a little bit [after she died]. ”
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