Paper needs to change way it chooses headline stories

On Dec. 1, I lost my son, Jason Payne, in an auto accident. Unless you’re a mom who has experienced the loss of a child, you will never know my grief and pain.

My son’s accident not only made the Sunday paper, but for some reason unknown to me, the paper felt it should have been the headliner that day. I wanted to scream every time I saw a Lancaster News paper box on the day of my son’s wake.

Not everyone who read that paper knew my son. He was a good man. Regardless of how someone dies, The Lancaster News should have delved deep in their heart and should have known that “their story of the day” was someone’s dad, son, brother or uncle. My God, did you ever think to look at my son’s obituary to know he had two small children that this would affect?

Jason left behind two very precious beautiful children, Justin and Caleb, ages 10 and 6. I wish The Lancaster News could have been at my home on Sunday when Justin saw this and wanted to read it. Did you think about that? Did you care? Did you not know or comprehend how much this would hurt my family? The answer is probably not – because all you wanted was your big headlining story and never even considered the feelings of my family.

The next time a tragic story like this crosses the desk at The Lancaster News, stop and think about the family. Just stop for two minutes and just pretend this person is your son, your dad, your brother, your uncle, even your friend, because some day it may be.

I pray that this letter touches someone in your office and changes the way you do your headlining story of the day.

Tonya Payne

Lancaster