NEPA sports media loses a dear friend in Dave Lauriha

Aug. 10—On our most painful days, we must be grateful for the good memories to help heal a broken heart.

Dave Lauriha, a likeable, engaging, soft-spoken longtime member of The Times-Tribune sports staff, died early Tuesday after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 57 years old and fought his opponent with a genuine smile.

When I received the text message, it crushed me.

Many readers knew Dave only through a byline, but he meant so much more, especially to those of us who knew him best.

He was devoted to his loving wife, Michele, who never left his side. In his many years as a sports writer, Dave poured his soul into covering high school athletes.

An all-state soccer player at Forest City, he was passionate about that sport and championed the fairness in coverage he felt it deserved.

Each winter, as the focus of fans shifted to the hardwoods, Dave demanded the same respect for wrestling.

In the spring, he was an early advocate of track and field athletes.

When I first met the man behind the byline, Dave and I built a strong relationship. We shared so much in common and our interests went beyond local sports.

Dave was a hard-core Los Angeles Rams fan. There weren't many of us, and there were a lot of nights after deadline we would share stories of the Rams' many failures in the NFL playoffs during the 1970s.

We cherished seeing them win the Super Bowl after the 1999 season when the franchise played in St. Louis. He'd remind me that he wished it came when they were in Los Angeles.

That day came this February, and during my jubilation, I couldn't help but think that my good friend was grinning ear-to-ear through his signature moustache.

Dave had a unique ability to find the silver lining in everything.

Michele and sports were his life.

He truly believed, first and foremost, in what made athletic contests special. The final scores and the numbers within those box scores were very important to him.

In sports media, Dave was true-blue old school.

His heart was always in the statistics. He embraced the move to more storytelling, but he would defend his belief to the end that fans would always turn to the numbers.

Dave built a reputation within the department for pushing deadlines. While that could fuel anxiety among the staff, it defined his commitment to the reader. He held an obligation to that one reader, that one fan, who wanted to know the final score of the latest game from the west coast.

Putting the reader ahead of the tightening constraints of the print media was always his priority.

He could remain almost too steely-calm in those most stressful situations. Dave would simply take deep breaths and often break the tension with his soft chuckle, reminding us all that we made it and would do it all again the next day.

Dave enjoyed his interactions with coaches and athletes. They meant the world to him. Covering games and wrestling matches filled him with joy. Much like the statistics were important, he believed in being at the games.

He had his dream job. But it's a job that can cost you so much in life. Late hours. Long weeks. Busy weekends. Inconsistent meal times. The business became draining with its 24-hour news cycle and unrelenting pace.

It took its toll on Dave physically, but it could never dampen the enjoyment sports brought him.

Then, when he started to slow and his mobility became painful, he learned that he had this cruel, crippling disease.

It made every day a struggle. Still, he fought because of his love for Michele and for local sports, which he continued to cover on a less demanding schedule and on a freelance basis.

Whether he knew it or not, the NEPA sports world missed him dearly.

His closest colleagues did, too.

In recent years, the majority of our conversions have been focused on local sports and our fantasy football league. We still talked about how the teams with no wins were working hard, too, as he always believed in the underdogs.

Life takes hard turns, and admittedly, Dave and I chatted less frequently. I saw him at my father's viewing several years ago, and again, interestingly, on one of my trips into Scranton. He'd ask about my family and what I thought about the Rams. It hurt to see such a wonderful, good-natured man in so much pain.

But he still smiled.

I enjoyed Dave Lauriha's company. He was truly a very good man. One who deserved so much better.

His loss hits home during this time of the year, as we prepare for a new high school season.

I'll think of Dave every time I see the Major League Soccer standings in the paper, or when I watch a west-coast college football game until the wee hours of the morning, or when I come across a soccer match on television.

As space becomes tighter in the paper, I'll hear his voice fighting for box scores and full track results.

That was Dave.

When fantasy football starts again, I will remember Dave sitting at the table charting each pick proudly wearing his UCLA football jersey.

We are all better people to have known this kind and gentle soul.

Rest easy, my friend.

Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter