Tears of gratitude

A photo of me taken in my office after our 10th anniversary celebration. 
It hit me about 11 hours later.

I cried tears of gratitude mixed with grief, overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and messages about the closing of Toledo Free Press.

You never quite realize the impact something has had until it's gone or taken away.

Reading a colleague's comment on a photo I posted started the tears.

It was about 2 a.m., 11 hours after Publisher Tom Pounds' statement went live that his Toledo weekly would be closing its door after 10 years.

Word traveled quickly. I heard from friends around the country — Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee and Nashville — within an hour of the story going live. I had yet to share anything via social media myself.

I have been with Toledo Free Press for nearly all of my professional career. Since graduating college in 2009, I worked a few odd jobs until I was hired full-time in May 2010. It was joining the Free Press that showed me how important it is to be a part of something in your community.

I love the Free Press. I love what it stands for. And I love that it is about the community.

Yes, I may have lost my job, but more importantly Toledo lost one of its voices, an advocate for many and an outlet for those who were not given one before.

What meant a lot to me was that we were a newspaper that was informing Toledo with unbiased news and independent reporting that was important for the residents of Toledo to read.

We saw the city as a glass half-full city.

Seeing all of the posts and comments on social media only solidified this, bringing those tears of gratitude that we helped change a community for the better.

I love the Free Press. I will always love and be proud of what our team accomplished throughout its 10 years.

A photo posted by James A. Molnar (@thegoldknight) on

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