Joseph Gatto was found murdered in his home in Silver Lake last night. His house had been ransacked, and he was found shot, slumped in a chair. I heard about it first on the radio as I was driving Eve to meet her mom at the dentist. I thought, "Can that be the same Joseph Gatto who was my Ceramics teacher and yearbook sponsor in high school?"
Unfortunately it was the same. Such sad, terrible news.
I guess when you read about crimes in the paper, they sound sad and terrible - but they don't really apply to you, because the people are not people you know. This was a new one for me - someone I knew, someone who had had an impact on my life when I was young and impressionable, someone who was a good person, someone who probably never hurt anyone in his life!
I got out my old yearbook - and found an inscription from him - it ended with "may life be good to you and reward you with the best!"
He always encouraged me to stretch and grow. To go beyond the comfort zone. I did not think of myself as an artist, or even as an artistic person. But he helped me see that appreciating art is as important as being the artist.
I like to think I appreciate art. I like to think he'd be proud of my progress.
RIP Joseph Anthony Gatto!
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