Condolences and Hopes for a Quick Recovery for Bill Kalles

Mike Snell, who comments here often and blogs as The Wine Commonsewer, has written with the horrible news that frequent Hit & Run presence Bill Kalles ("No Star") was in a terrible motorcycle accident this weekend. The wreck took the life of his 12-year-old daughter and he remains in serious condition. Snell has thoughts here.

The staff of reason sends its deepest condolences to Bill and his family—and our hopes for a speedy and full recovery.

Comments

TrickyVic | August 25, 2008, 9:33am | #

Sad.

Best wishes No Star.

Lurker Jack | August 25, 2008, 9:39am | #

Deepest condolences. My thoughts are with you No Star.

Other Matt | August 25, 2008, 9:50am | #

I can't imagine, having two daughters myself. I concur with best wishes.

guy in the back row | August 25, 2008, 9:59am | #

good luck, sir, please carry on.

mk | August 25, 2008, 10:03am | #

My deepest condolences as well.

joe | August 25, 2008, 10:04am | #

There are no words.

So sorry.

dhex | August 25, 2008, 10:12am | #

fuck.

best of wishes to him and his family in this horrible time.

BDB | August 25, 2008, 10:14am | #

My condolences.

Lamar | August 25, 2008, 10:21am | #

Very sorry to hear that.

Citizen Nothing | August 25, 2008, 10:24am | #

My best to No Star and his family.

Jake Boone | August 25, 2008, 10:30am | #

Oh no... I am so, so sorry.

J sub D | August 25, 2008, 10:32am | #

Oh crap.

NoStar, my thoughts are with you and your family as you work thru this trying ordeal.

Sandy | August 25, 2008, 10:33am | #

Ugh, that's awful--best wishes and condolences.

Shem | August 25, 2008, 10:37am | #

Dreadful. Deepest condolences to the family.

smartass sob | August 25, 2008, 10:42am | #

Horrid news - just unspeakably rotten misfortune. I'm so sorry for you, Nostar.

sasob

Robert Goodman | August 25, 2008, 10:44am | #

I wish there were a happier way for them to have come to my att'n.

the innominate one | August 25, 2008, 10:58am | #

condolences, No Star, on your loss and I hope you have a speedy recovery

ktc2 | August 25, 2008, 11:11am | #

My condolences and best wishes No Star.

val | August 25, 2008, 11:27am | #

deepest condolences

Crushinator | August 25, 2008, 11:29am | #

A tragic day for the entire H&R community. NoStar- I will give my 8yo daughter extra special attention tonight (and for the remainder of my life).

Windypundit | August 25, 2008, 11:32am | #

No Star, Sorry for your loss.

rana | August 25, 2008, 11:42am | #

I am so sorry for your loss No Star. My deepest condolences.

JW` | August 25, 2008, 11:45am | #

My heart just sank about a million miles. This is horrible news.

I want to go home and hug my kids right now. "Sorry for your loss" just doesn't seem to cut it. I really can't think of anything to say other than I hope you find your way through this tragedy. I can only imagine the sorrow you feel.

Pro Libertate | August 25, 2008, 11:50am | #

Dear God. I don't know what to say. NoStar, you have my deepest condolences, but those words seem so meaningless and trite for such a profound and horrible loss.

ChicagoTom | August 25, 2008, 12:05pm | #

My deepest condolences to No Star on his terrible loss. No parent should ever have to bury their child.

Let's hope that No Star recovers quickly from his physical wounds.

My best to No Star and his family in these trying times.

Tbone | August 25, 2008, 12:17pm | #

Words being sorely inadequate to the task - my deepest condolences for your loss.

thoreau | August 25, 2008, 12:18pm | #

Oh my God. That is horrible.

NoStar, if there's anything that I can do for you and your family, you only need to ask.

GG | August 25, 2008, 12:22pm | #

What an unbearable tragedy. My deepest sympathies.

highnumber | August 25, 2008, 12:22pm | #

devastating.

D.A. Ridgely | August 25, 2008, 12:25pm | #

My deepest condolences to Mr. Kalles and his family and my thanks to Mr. Gillespie and the reason organization for showing enough concern for their readers to use this blog to share this sad news. May Mr. Kalles recover quickly and may his daughter rest in peace.

Maurkov | August 25, 2008, 12:26pm | #

I guess we don't need a Balko post to bring us down this morning.

NoStar, I'm very sorry for your loss.

raidsmith | August 25, 2008, 12:26pm | #

Obviously, there are no words. This must be devastating, and my heart goes out to No Star.

Jennifer | August 25, 2008, 12:47pm | #

I'm so sorry, Bill. I wish I could say something to make this better.

JD | August 25, 2008, 12:47pm | #

So terrible, so sorry to hear it. A personal tragedy like that is hard to comprehend.

Dagny T. | August 25, 2008, 12:53pm | #

Very deepest condolences. What a tragic, terrible loss.

First Little Pig | August 25, 2008, 1:05pm | #

Horrible.

What a terrible way to demonstrate that we who comment here form an odd -- but no less real -- family. (sometimes dysfunctional, but we do care about each other deep down)

Stevo Darkly | August 25, 2008, 1:07pm | #

This is horrible. I am very sorry to hear this. Especially as I recall that NoStar also lost his wife several years ago.

I do recall that NoStar has some beliefs and some personal experiences that, I hope, will help him in coping with this loss a little. May we all meet again in the end. (We'll find out eventually.)

I am just so sorry. I hope NoStar's condition improves rapidly. And I don't know what else to say.

My condolences, NoStar.

dead_elvis | August 25, 2008, 1:08pm | #

Aw crap. My condolences.

The Wine Commonsewer | August 25, 2008, 1:15pm | #

Thanks Nick, and thanks to all of you for your good thoughts and well wishes.

I just now got word that Bill is stable this morning. Although he was beat up pretty badly the doctors are optimistic.

OTOH, I can't imagine losing my daughter and those two were virtually inseparable. I'm afraid it will not be easy for him.

Blessings and thanks.

Rachel | August 25, 2008, 1:41pm | #

That's horrible. condolences to NoStar & loved ones. I can't imagine..

MikeP | August 25, 2008, 1:54pm | #

NoStar, I am very sorry for your loss. My deepest condolences.

Eric the .5b | August 25, 2008, 1:58pm | #

My deepest condolences, NoStar, when you're able to see this.

Brian Courts | August 25, 2008, 2:24pm | #

I feel as helpless to comprehend such an unspeakable tragedy as to console such a heartbreaking loss. I am deeply saddened.

smacky | August 25, 2008, 2:53pm | #

I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. I'm so sorry, NoStar.

James Ard | August 25, 2008, 2:56pm | #

How awful. Condolences to the friends and family.

Frank_A | August 25, 2008, 3:09pm | #

That's just...bad; really, really, really bad.

No Star, my thoughts, prayers, etc. are with you and your family.

Kwix | August 25, 2008, 3:36pm | #

Ah holy shit!! My thoughts are with you and, and I just don't know what else to say. Damn.

Isaac Bartram | August 25, 2008, 3:48pm | #

Sad, sad news. Words fail me.

Jadagul | August 25, 2008, 4:13pm | #

Like everyone else, I don't think there's anything I can say that would actually help anything. But NoStar, you have my deepest sympathies.

hamilton | August 25, 2008, 4:36pm | #

Even the thought of this happening to my daughter had me breaking down on tears this morning. My heart goes out to you NoStar.

cartman | August 25, 2008, 4:52pm | #

Just feels awful, I can't even begin to imagine what this is like for NoStar and his family :(

Ali | August 25, 2008, 5:36pm | #

My heart weeps. Get well soon No Star.

Kap | August 25, 2008, 6:51pm | #

So sorry.

Neu Mejican | August 25, 2008, 7:48pm | #

A true tragedy.


Tomorrow, at dawn, at the hour when the countryside whitens,
I will set out. You see, I know that you wait for me.
I will go by the forest, I will go by the mountain.
I can no longer remain far from you.

I will walk with my eyes fixed on my thoughts,
Seeing nothing of outdoors, hearing no noise
Alone, unknown, my back curved, my hands crossed,
Sorrowed, and the day for me will be as the night.

I will not look at the gold of evening which falls,
Nor the distant sails going down towards Harfleur,
And when I arrive, I will place on your tomb
A bouquet of green holly and of flowering heather.

Victor Hugo

VikingMoose | August 26, 2008, 8:15am | #

condolences and deepest sympathy.

GinSlinger | August 26, 2008, 9:39am | #

Words fail me in situations such as they, so I will echo the others.

My sincerest condolence to NoStar.

The Wine Commonsewer | August 26, 2008, 12:55pm | #

Bill is touched by all of your good wishes.

He is still pretty drugged up for the pain (oxycontin). He is lucid but rambling, which I guess is normal. Apparently he is charming the nurses but they also feel that the loss of his daughter has not fully sunk in.

He is anxious to get out of the hospital and get his mind cleared.

I'm not sure exactly how fast that is going to happen.

The Wine Commonsewer | August 26, 2008, 4:12pm | #

UPDATE:

For now cards or flowers may be sent to Bill Kalles:

C/O Harborview Medical Center

325 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98104

Actually, I'm not sure if the ICU staff looks kindly on flowers.

As many of you know Bill is a man of faith and his church is now working out the details for a memorial fund. When that information is forthcoming I will pass it along. I had given some thought to a pay pal account on behalf of Bill but perhaps we'll wait and see how the church fund works out.

In the interest of simple expediency, those of you who prefer to do so, can send him a card and a check at the hospital.

Another thought from an anonymous friend (FOB?):

I was thinking of calling the library in Moses Lake (Washington) and asking them what options they may have for memorials. Jessie loved to read, and she was even writing a children's story herself. Bill has talked about it a lot and often mentioned taking her to the library for books.

Funeral arrangements are still pending, but we may have better information by tomorrow.

The feeling is that if the funeral service takes place next week that Bill may be able to attend.

TWC | August 27, 2008, 12:47pm | #

Bill (NoStar) is out of ICU today but remains in a great deal of pain. The internal bleeding has stopped. His face is a mess and the hospital won't let him look in a mirror.

He and Jessie's mom are finalizing funeral arrangements.

A friend is working on the details to set up a memorial library fund.

No word yet on the church memorial fund.

Anecdote Man | August 27, 2008, 2:40pm | #

His face is a mess and the hospital won't let him look in a mirror.

The article said he and his daughter were both wearing helmets. I hate to be so grisly about such a tragedy, but how did his face get so damaged that the hospital won't let him look in a mirror? Was it an open face helmet?

Funeral arrangements for your daughter...I can't even imagine how awful that must be. Get well soon, NoStar.

BakedPenguin | August 27, 2008, 5:09pm | #

My deepest sympathy.

TWC | August 28, 2008, 12:34pm | #

a fund exists for help with the medical and funeral expenses

Contact Info:

Ed Baxter at [phone].

Checks and donations for Bill can be mailed to:

RTMM, P.O. Box 2023
Moses Lake, WA 98837.

All proceeds from the benefit go to Bill to help pay his medical bills.

TWC | August 28, 2008, 12:36pm | #

As many of you know, No Star, was involved in a serious motorcycle accident on Sunday which claimed the life of his twelve year old daughter.

A memorial fund has been established at the library where she was a fixture. It is a small community and the entire town is grieving over the loss of Jessie.


For those of you who would like to contribute to Jessie's library fund, checks should be made out to North Central Regional Library and mailed to:

Moses Lake Library
Attention Connie Kuhlmann
418 East 5th Avenue
Moses Lake, WA, 98837-1797

A short letter should accompany the the check explaining that it is for memorial books for Jessica Kalles. If you want to know the titles of the books that have been purchased, please include a note to that effect and your return address. A small memorial sticker will be placed in each book.

Thank you so much.

TWC | August 28, 2008, 12:37pm | #

There is a possibility that No Star (Bill Kalles) may be able to go home today or Friday.

TWC | August 28, 2008, 1:25pm | #

I just got word a moment ago that NoStar is definitely going home today.

He's pretty happy about it, too.

TWC | August 28, 2008, 1:29pm | #

I hate to be so grisly about such a tragedy, but how did his face get so damaged that the hospital won't let him look in a mirror? Was it an open face helmet?

I don't know, but that would be my guess.

From what I can gather, his face is badly bruised and he had some severe damage to his teeth that will require surgery to repair.

I'm sure by now he's had a peak at his mug.

Stevo Darkly | August 28, 2008, 2:41pm | #

I just got word a moment ago that NoStar is definitely going home today.

He's pretty happy about it, too.

I'm happy to hear that too. Although just this morning I finally mailed him a card in c/o the hospital. So I guess he won't receive it. Or do hospitals forward these things?

TWC | September 1, 2008, 4:16pm | #

Those of you who would like to send flowers, cards, or to sign the online guest book in memory of No Star's daughter, Jessie, may click on the name above to do so.

Peace.

TWC | September 1, 2008, 4:19pm | #

Stevo, thanks. I'm not sure how that works with the cards. If you click (my name) over to TWC I've a couple of addresses where you can send stuff. Plus now the address of the funeral home.

One place I did not put any info was Facebook, perhaps I should.

TWC | September 1, 2008, 4:21pm | #

Was it an open face helmet?

BTW Anecdotal Man, I asked him. He said no, full face. Thought he said Bell Star. Do they even make those any more?

Anecdote Man | September 2, 2008, 12:47pm | #

I've read that nearly 40% of riders who come off their bikes take one on the chin when they land. He must have landed pretty damn hard to bust through a newer full-face helmet. I still can't imagine what to say that doesn't seem completely inadequate. Condolences, man.