41 is definately to young to die. My heart goes out to all his family and friends who knew him and loved him.

I have know Pat for years and I feel that he and his family deserves the respect of a nice obituary without people knocking him for how he died.

Disregard that last post , my room mate thought he would be funny by posting that while I was at work.

Nicely said Ashlea, wanna go out?

Nicely said Ashlea.

Just my two cents, take them or leave them. I think that when something of importance happens it is newsworthy. If nothing was printed, about this person who was loved so much, people would be in an uproar. Yes sometimes the facts that are published are not all the family or friends want the person to be remembered by, but the facts at the time are what the news people have to work with. Don't shoot the messenger, when something like this happens it will be in the newspaper. It is public knowledge because of the circumstances. So everyone who is attacking the newspeople, please stop and think about what you are saying. Was he intoxicated? Did he fall? Was it an accident? Was it his birthday? Those are the facts that were presented to the newsperson. That is what they had to work with. If you had those facts in front of you and you had to write about it, how would you go about in a timely manner? Remember you have the family to think about and the repercussions it may cause to think about. The duress of others and the duress onto the person who found the deceased? I don't mind criticism from people who are going to give it to me, I do mind people not taking into account what happened and how it happened. You are all reading too much into the story, nowhere in the story does it say that he is a habitual drinker or a partier, does it? It also doesn't say that he was a cheater or an abuser, correct? So what the story said were the facts that were at hand, nothing more. The story did not present false facts in the time that it took to put the news together. Correct?
Thank you for your time.

Pat was a good guy and his death was a tragic accident. The manner in which he passed is newsworthy and the gazette is right to print the story.

KyleS, Bliss Communications is a business and its number 1 priority is to return a profit to their shareholders not to "to question authority and point out any conflicts of concern to the public". The Gazettes primary source of revenue is probably advertising (print and electronic)-a secondary source is subscription revenue.

Thoughts and prayers go out to Pat's family and children.

HEY AJH AKA MR KNOW IT ALL...GET A CLUE.. YOU AIN'T THE SPELLING TEACHER ON THIS COMMENT PAGE. THIS IS FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT THEY READ AND HOW IT MAKES THEM FEEL. A TYPO ISN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL. GET OVER IT.

No, I am a college student. Satisfied.

This is not the forum for us to talk about whats wrong with this paper..... Pat was A great guy I knew him since 4th grade and I remember him as our kicker in highschool football kicking the winning field goal against Mad.

KyleS I know you dont work for the Gasjet but are you or are you not employed by the RCSD that responded to this call? Rock County for those that are wondering...

oh sorry, i thought you were talking to me, i agree with you. sorry for the family and friends of Patrick Roehl!!

I'm not even talking about you, and I don't think that other person was either. Relax.

If you (and I mean most of you) want your opinion to be respected and/or taken seriously, I suggest you read your comment over before you post it.

You might have something intelligent to say; try to express it that way.

im sorry i didnt know that you had to use correct spelling and grammar, when expressing how sorry you are for a person's family that they lost their loved one. apparently you have to the top speller at the spelling bee, to post a nice comment to the family, excuse me!!! And yes it is a comment box, I just thought the right thing to do would be to say that I was sorry for their loss!!!

Do they teach spelling or grammar in Janesville schools?

This is a comment box isnt it?

My comment is for everybody, First and foremost my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. I would like to say that this is a tragedy that has happened to a FAMILY not the gazette or anybody else commenting. I would hope that the citizens of Janesville would have enough common sense to just read the article and leave it at that, it is not up for debate, he died in a horrible accident. To me, the fact that he was drunk is irrelevant. I dont think it matters either way if he was drunk or sober. Cant everybody just post a comment about how sorry they are for the loss of the family's husband, son, brother, father and friend? Please no more debating on whether the gazette should have printed this story, come on have respect for the family and friends of Patrick Roehl!!!

Now theres an idea, It could be a tribute to him and his family if all that knew him were to each take a moment to to all say a little something sweet, nice, or even a funny memory they may have about him.
Take all this sad energy and try to put a smile on a face even if only for moment...
We may not be able to change others but that doesnt mean we cant make changes period.

I, personally, am not upset about the truth. But isn't there an easier way of writing it? Now why isn't there a follow up story telling us some of the good things that Pat has done? If we have to read about his social life with drinking on his birthday, why don't we also get to see what a devoted father, friend, co-worker, business owner he was?

Is there a problem with people knowing the facts and truth. My fiance was shot and killed, I was there when it happened and by no means was this easy for me. But the facts should be known. But i guess some people would rather live in denial. You would heal better knowing the truth, yes sometimes the truth hurts. Blaming others for your tragedy is not the way to heal. we don't like to hear the truth, that's what reporters are suppose to do get the facts.

I need to ask, are you all upset because the Gazette stated that this man was intoxicated?
Dont they put it in the Gazette when someone has been in a car accident and they were intoxicated, or when people get into fist fights, or whenever anything happens and we would like to know WHY or HOW. Maybe they put that in here to only give "US" the readers more perspective on why or how the man would have fallen down the stairs????
Maybe the man never drank, maybe the man only had 4 beers, and that is why he was drunk? It doesnt have to be a "bad thing" that they reported the FACTS as they recieved them.
Do you all really see being intoxicated as a BAAAAD thing? None of you have ever been intoxicated and fell down in the street or in another public place and then had to tell people why you had bruises all over then next day? I am not trying to make light of the fact that this man is gone, I am very sorry to the family for there loss. I am just trying to say that the fact that the Gazette wrote that in here only becomes a bad thing when you all make it a bad thing.

they printed it for the same reason they print some people occupations when they commit a crime, while other people just committed the crime and must not of had a job lol, they thought it made their story more interesting, some information should be left to the family to decide whether to release it or not instead of the paper making the decision for them

angeroonie123, I agree with you to a point. When I was in college at BTC, one of my classmates was in police science. He went through a divorce and the soon to be ex-wife had him charged with domestic abuse. Well, guess what? Charges were filed but he bragged about it NEVER making the circuit court website because of "connections" his family had. Yes, there are people out there who are better off-- not just financially but socially as well. Everyday, they get favors that none of the rest of us will see. To Pat Roehl's family and children....May you find the grace and guidance of our Lord. May He grant you peace through your most difficult time.

So many of your comments are against the Gazette. If you don't like what the paper prints, don't read it

I have to disagree evansvillehousewife. It's not BS and it happens everyday. Different rules for different citizens. That's just the way it is. Not just here, but everywhere. I can think of a very similar case that happened just a few years back and YES the family is a big name in Janesville and NO their tragic story was never printed. It doesn't matter either way. What matters is that this is not responsible journalism. I don't think you'd be so quick to jump all over my opinion if it happened to someone in your family. Just my opinion. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Roehl family and this is my last comment on this subject!

angerroonie: That is utter BS. What do you consider wealthy? If you are talking Hedberg family wealthy, perhaps. But a citizen that makes $100-300 K a year is pretty much a normal citizen, albeit with nicer appliances and cars.
KyleS, thank you for WRITING. I entirely believe you worked in journalism- your writing sticks out from the rest as clear, concise, and flowing. Clear ideas- supporting facts- what a treat to read here!

In response to It2211. Tell us all about how it's the Gazette's job to print the facts when it's one of your family members. I'd be willing to make a big wager that if it were one our wealthier citizens, the story would never have been printed. Speaks volumes for the journalistic integrity of the Janesville Gazette.

lt2211,

I agree, which is why this article does not give us the whole story, and either should have been not printed, or looked into more with sensitivity. The writer only gives us the reaction from authorities (and not even a very good one), and nothing that the reader can actually use. A good newspaper also reports on people's reaction to facts, and this story just left everyone mad and confused.

I agree with skd11566. I also knew Pat personally, and his family certainly did not need the Janesville Gazette to add insult to injury here. Seems like the Gazette is desperate for stories on a daily basis anymore. They will print ANYTHING no matter how hurtful to people in the community. The very community the keeps this rag of paper and all it's employees clothed and fed. Who approves this crap before it goes to print? You need to be fired immediately.

A newspaper reports the facts. Like it or not the coroners findings, regarding intoxication are an a big part of the story. If a newspaper regularly edited facts from a story, based solely on the possibility it may upset some readers, the rest of us readers would only get part of the story. An unacceptable trade off.

Cheers, that is 12 for me skd11566. Try to contact me at the Gazette, I won't be there. You are entitled to your opinion skd11566, you commented on how the Gazette made Pat look like a lush, but you never said how the article could have been and conveyed the same information without causing an infliction on the family. If you don't know what you expect of the paper, neither will the paper. I'm out too.

I'm not complaining I'm entitled to my opinion.as you are,now voiced 11 times.CHEERS!

Yes, I am sure. I have worked in journalism however. Journalists get to hear the other side of the story, the split decisions that determine running a story from not. All I am saying is, if people don't like the way it was reported, do something about it instead of complaining about how the paper has always not supported the trust of readers. The paper can't establish a relationship with its readers if the readers don't want to provide insightful feedback for the future. It is our paper, isn't it? The Gazette does work for the people, it has to otherwise it wouldn't be in business. So put your hands on the keyboard, stop complaining, and start typing about what impacts you and what you would like to see in a story that impacts your community. Thanks.

KYLE S ARE YOU SURE YOU DONT WORK FOR THE GAZETTE?YOU SURE SEEM TO DEFEND THEM YOU'VE WRITTEN LIKE 10 TIMES.JUST WONDERING.

You bring up some very good points. I don't know if releasing the name made any sense, personally. Newspapers print stories all the time without listing names. If someone wanted to be real nosey, I suppose they could have waited a couple of days and checked the obits so see what 41 year-old male passed away.
I understand wanting to deliver news, but there is a fine line between too much and not enough information. Did we NEED to know his name? No. The story would have had the same interest, in my opinion, without it.

There are strange people out there, and putting the name right in the story can invite problems for the family.

To the people of this forum, how could this "taste" be improved? My sympathies go out to Pat and his grieving family also. What the timing of this story all bad taste? or was it that they had released Pat's full name? How should the paper handle an unusual situation like this again in the future so that readers can come to expect something good and trustworthy out of the paper? If you don't answer those questions for yourself, there is no point in posting an outrageous comment. If you were the one sitting in the newsroom when the call came over the scanner, how would you propose to handle it?

Instead of people saying "I have come to expect it from the Gazette" now you can publicly tell the paper what should be expected of them, and what matters to you about this story. What matters to me is they connect this to a deeper sense of community and to have included more accurate information. Maybe what matters to another person is that they hold the story and never print it at all. The forum isn't here to have people comment on how crappy the paper is in the past or how much they destroyed reputations in the past, the forum is here to see what can be done so a story like this doesn't run in the same fashion again. Thanks.

All newspapers have to balance a trust with their readers, and a trust to report on news that is important. This is one of the first times readers can comment publicly online on individual stories without censorship. I am not defending this article, but I am simply suggesting that the people who wrote this article which does affect the family be named and not just "Gazette Staff," and that the Gazette starts to enhance the relationship with the public even more. A newspaper's job is to look for situations like this, however, there is a line between leaving it sit for a bit and running it too soon in which it confuses readers. I agree with everyone that the paper ran it too soon, but I agree with the Gazette's decision to want to report on the matter as well because it could spark a better interest for the community.

I would like to see the Gazette change also, which is why this thing is here, hopefully.

No, I am not a reporter, I just happen to believe in good journalism.

Is KyleS the reporter who wrote this for the gazette? He seems to be the only one on their side. I also believe the way this was "reported" was in truly bad taste. I have come to expect it from the gazette, unless God forbid it would have been a minority it happened to.

People do also need to take responsibility for their actions, as I agree with spinmaster. An unfortunate accident could happen with or without the presence of alcohol, but the whole argument is whether the story should have been run or not with the poor information that had been collected. I think that it should have ran in the paper with a better sense of information to the reader and better credibility.

I agree with KyleS. While it is newsworthy, there should have been a more solid information and fact-finding before this was run.

The job of the newspaper is to question authority and point out any conflicts of concern to the public. If the police had not fully done their job at the time of this tragic accident or if information was incorrectly stated by authorities, it would be a very crucial story to the readers, to the family, and to the community. The problem with this short article is that it includes just enough information to make the public angry that it was printed, doesn't include information on whether further investigations by the police will be conducted, and doesn't represent the story very well to the family. It misses on informing the reader and does come off very cold to the family because it does not attempt to relate to the community.

It seems to me that many people are forgetting one simple fact. This unfortunate incident happened without the help of any media outlet, much less The Janesville Gazette. God forbid you know someone who has something unfortuate happen to them and it gets into the news. But ignorance is bliss, I suppose. In any case, it's absolutely ridiculous for anyone to think that the Gazette prints "false facts." What would a newspaper possibly have to gain by doing so? Some people just don't want to believe the truth. There's always a conspiracy and it's always someone else's fault. People need to take responsibilty for their actions...

To say this needed to be investigated because he fell down the stairs at home is ridiculous! When there is a suicide at someone's home we don't get those details printed in the paper! This was a tragic accident that only the family needed to know what happened. Your paper is very insensitive to the grieving families! To the Roehl family, I am so sorry for your loss and for what the Janesville Gazette has done to you.

I think the Gazette printed this artical in very poor taste. This poor family is going through enough right now. Show a little respect. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Pat's family.

I think you guys are all overeacting.YES-there was an intial investigation due to the cause of death. It says right in the article that information came from the coroner. It doesn't matter if it happened in the privacy of his home or on the street. The death warranted more than just an obituary. It was an untimely death and due to an unusual accident. They had to make sure it was an accident and thank goodness they did. Otherwise, you will all be commenting on how they didn't. That's why there were police and coroner reports. That's how death investigations work and that is what the gazette reports on. They always do.

If you don't like the gazette and how they report, why are you on here reading articles? This kind of reporting had nothing to do with this man personally.

And I have no idea why anyone would think poorly of a man because it said in the coroner's report that he was intoxicated. Who cares? Anyone that would judge a deceased man they didn't know based on that report isn't worth worrying about anyhow. Please save your energy and use it to help the family in some way.

boc: "The initial investigation showed"....taken from the article. I agree with spinmaster. I do not know Pat personally, would never think that he was a bad person just based on this short article, and I feel for the family tremendously. But police didn't even confirm it was his home. The article leaves much to be questioned about, lacks credibility, and deserves to be followed up on in the unusual circumstance and also who Pat was as a loving person. It seems to me that it came down to the wire, and instead the story should have been held a day while more accurate information could have been presented to the public.

Who was Pat Roehl?

I think the timing and placement of this story was extremly insensitive!! I think his children who are grieving the loss of their father do not need to deal with the questions and implications of this story. Reporting the news is one thing, but did you have to run this story the same day as his obituary. And was'nt there a different location you could have put it. My sympathies to his children and family.

I am just outraged at why people think that something that happens at home is any one elses business!! Who said there was a police investigation!!! May be you should know what you are talking about before you comment!!! I hope that the gazette will be writing an on-line investigation for ALL obituaries!!! I could see if it involved someone else but this involved Pat and his family!!! This happened on private property not public streets!! I think people forget to remember that Pat is an important person in alot of peoples lives and he and his family shouldn't have to deal with nosey people!!! Anyone who needed to know the details was told. I as well will never buy the gazette again!!

I bet the real reason this story ran was because there was a police investigation involved. Whenever that occurs, it's kind of the paper's duty to report it. They can't pick and choose what to report on and what not to. I, too, would hope this is followed-up on. And if some feel sorry for the readers, you better feel sorry for yourself. If you're not a reader, it's hard to be able to comment on a story...

ritzychoice, you make a good point. The only probable reason why this story was posted was that people don't fall down the stairs everyday in their home. That is really it, and this unfortunate incident was a local one. If this ran in print, I would have liked to see more detail in the story and quotes as well as more information. Is the print version the same as the online, or, is there a print version of this story? But I guess that is exactly why this forum is here, to find out the reaction of the readers to make the Gazette better source for journalism. If the Gazette is a changed newspaper, they will follow up on this short story with a deeper story involving the community and family, that is what I would like to see. If the Gazette doesn't run anything after this, they shouldn't have run the story at all. I had it in my mind that they will. What is "right" is to follow up on the story with a better sense of information. Maybe by them posting the story, it will stir more reaction and help for the family in the community (which I hope happens for Pat's family).

Why is this even a "news" story! People die everyday. The Gazette does not do a online news brief for each death notice they receive. There was not a car accident, this happened in his home. The matter of death did not raise any "questions". The Gazette need not inform the reader of details of the accident. The death notice & obituary would have been enough information for all readers. Just because "this is something that all newspapers do nationwide" does not make it right. What would be right would be to respect the privacy of the grieving friends and family.

I cannot believe that you would print such an article. You have a family going through a very tramatic time and you see fit to pile more tragedy on top of it. If this is what the editor sees as news, I feel sorry for your readers. GROW UP!!!

I grew up with Pat and nothing will change my great memories of him. My best to his family.

I went to school with Pat,he was a standup guy in everyway.He was a loving husband and father.Bottom line is, he went out for his B-day and had drinks, maybe to many,who doesn't on their B-day its practically tradition.Shame on"The Gazette" for making it look like he's some lush.Don't you think his family is going through enough already!!! .Pissed off in Chicago

The information included in the online news brief is needed for the story. The Gazette included details of the accident to inform the reader on what had happened. If the Gazette had not chosen to run this information, they would not be informing the reader for one, and they would not be doing it accurately according to what had occurred during the accident. My heart and thoughts go out to this man's family also. This is something that all newspapers do nationwide, however, and just not in the Gazette. If the Gazette would have included any personal opinion in the news brief, it would be bias. The newspaper can't turn around with an accurate and long story the next day, so this is just a brief telling of the incident and lets readers form their own opinion. The most important part of the story is at the top, and with a brief such as this which happened last night, the least important information is at the bottom. The bottom information still needs to be included for the reader. If there was a car accident, many questions that would be raised is if the driver was under the influence. Hopefully, the Gazette will follow up on this story in more detail which relates to the community and the man's life which will be missed throughout the community.

Why did the gazette find it necessary to print the details of this tragic accident? You were not thinking of the family who loved him when you printed this story. That's why I will never subscribe to this paper! I'm sorry for what the Janesville Gazette has put this family through!

Why do we need to know that he was intoxicated? Isnt the bigger issue that a 41 year old died in an accident??? I think this young family has enough to think about.