A Very Sad Day
I randomly checked my email this morning before hitting the road for a 10 hour journey to the Grand Canyon and found out that one of most dynamic people I have ever met died in an automobile accident in Bolivia.
Lola Almudevar and I met in Sucre, Bolivia last May. We were sitting with our laptops back to back at a restaurant with wireless capability. She was working on a deadline for BBC news, I was probably working on a post about how tremendously terrible I was at speaking Spanish.
Before we both knew it a drunken Irishman crashed into our completely covered table sending everything flying including our laptops. I was fortunate. Lola was not as lucky as her laptop did not make it through the night. Nonetheless, that crazy Irishman helped forge a friendship that I will never forget.
I spent two months in Bolivia and during my time there Lola and I became close friends. I even convinced her to write a story on the Amazonian medicinal plant Ayahuasca, via a retreat in the Bolivian Andes. Although the article was never written, many friendships were forged at that retreat in the mountains. That specific weekend that I shared with Lola (and our other friends) was one of the most powerful experiences of my life.
Lola and I were on very similar paths. She truly found her calling as a freelance journalist in the volatile, yet beautiful country of Bolivia. I have found my path traveling the world and reporting back my findings.
From the start, Lola helped me greatly with my writing and believed in the vision behind this blog. As recently as last month she gave me detailed, introspective guidance on an article I will be submitting for publication to U.S. newspapers when I return from this cross country trip across the US. While the two of us were the same age, she was an accomplished journalist and my mentor. She always went the extra mile. For this last article that I asked her to proofread she wrote about 2 pages of critique to my 5 page (1800 word) article.
Since I last left Bolivia, Lola’s career had been going through the roof. She obtained an exclusive interview with Bolivian President Evo Morales. She had also branched out and began to get her articles frequently published in the San Fransisco Chronicle and other major U.S newspapers. Due to her success and love for her work in Bolivia, she had decided to stay longer than originally anticipated.
I was chatting with her via instant message with her on Saturday afternoon as she was waiting for a delayed flight to Sucre. Bolivia is a fiery mess right now and she needed to get down to Sucre (where the Bolivian Supreme Court is housed) immediately from La Paz to cover some severe political unrest over the newly ratified Bolivian Constitution.
The flight she was waiting for ended up getting canceled and she decided to make the dangerous 10 hour night drive from La Paz to Sucre to get the story.
She died that night in a severe auto accident.
I am still in a state of shock. I simply do not understand how such tragic things can happen to such kind, fantastic, and caring people.
I do not know why, but I had been thinking about her all weekend before I found out what happened.
My deepest condolences go out to Lola’s family.
The world lost a very special person this past weekend.
Click to read the full story on BBC News.com
- November 27th
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Thank you Mr Ford. I am Lola´s dad writting this from Spain. I think I saw you in a foto she sent us.
There is a “blog” in Spain in memoy of her. La Marea Perez Henares Periodista Digital. If you put a few of these words in google I am sure that yoy will access it. Please use you spanish, it does not matter how poor it is, to say a few words about her.
It is our only confort she cannot go so quickly and it is good to read about her.
Dave,
So sorry for your lost. I remember you telling me about her by phone many months ago, I know she was a special person to you. My thoughts are with you and Lola’s family.
John
Wow. This unfortunately proves just how short and precious life is. From the bits I’ve read, it seems that Lola spent her short life doing what she was passionate about and loved…..many people who live to be 80 may not be able to say that. We all need to better appreciate the life we have and the people who are in it. Thinking of you and Lola’s family,
Jenny
I’m so sorry to hear such sad, sad news. Lola sounded like such an amazing woman that obviously touched so many lives in such a special way. My prayers go out to you and Lola’s family.
Katie
Lola Lola Lola, you crazy womwan, such an absolute credit to everything
good and beautiful in life, such a wonderful and inspiring mark left on
so many people’s lives, a privilige to have been remotely near your
slip stream, the “Booo yaka shas” and “keepin it real”,
absolutely faultless and lovely!!! xxxxxxxx
We were involved with Lola during her filming of Alexandra Road, it was through Lolas persistance that we got involved (she can be very persuasive) she oozed a wealth of talent, beauty, understanding that i, personally have never seen in anyone else, she came to visit us after her trip to chile/south america last year and we received a lovely postcard from her, she was so thoughtful, she would sit and teach my foster children spanish! a feat all of its own. I know words flow easily, but we feel from just reading all the words that everyone has written about Lola her parents must take a lot of comfort from the fact that they did a wonderful job, and Dave we know how you feel xx sue
Sorry to hear about this Dave -
Sending you and Lola’s family good thoughts. Just like our travels, life moves on, but we will always look back to those special times along the way with fondness. Your good friends are with you.
Rikki and Chris
(now lost - and hardly wired - in the desert. we could be in mexico for all we know)
Thanks to everyone for the comments and emails.
I feel privileged to have had Lola as a friend and will never forget her.
To Lola’s father, thank you so much for writing. I have not had internet for the last few days but will be sure to post something on her website. I have some friends who can help me translate in Spanish.
Dave - Thank you for your heartfelt posts. My son, Dan Keane, worked with Lola in Bolivia these last couple of months, and is in England now for Lola’s funeral. After you climb out of the Grand Canyon, if you have a chance to head east a bit to Fort Davis, Texas, you will be welcomed by us for a visit and reminicences about a dear young woman.