Rogers, Rogers, Everywhere...

These profiles exemplify a clear voice through their description and clearly digging into "a day in the life" of both Roger Ebert and Fred Rogers. Ebert's profile was, for me, more enjoyable to read and was quite close to my heart with particular attention to terminal illness and how it takes hold of an individual and the one's family and personal life. The author's voice was incredibly thoughtful, and this struck me with such a force. The tone is not only thoughtful, but I finished this story feeling so hopeful and happy for Ebert (knowing that he was inevitably dying and did die just a few years after this profile was published) upon learning that he was so generally happy (and appreciative jumps out as well) throughout the various stages of his life. The author does has a gift of getting into someone's head who cannot even speak words with true subjective emphasis and really pulling out the meaning of their words, looks, and emotions.
There was moments that were hard to read. The part about Ebert's last words and meal were heart-wrenching and powerful. I don't know if I've ever read a story or article that touches on this aspect of sickness or loss in such a way- but I can tell you that if you've ever lost such abilities or known someone who has- you've thought about it, perhaps even anguished over it. The absence of anything physical (or mental), in particular, is difficult for anyone to deal with. Ebert, however, obviously has a strong inner sense of self, because he deals with it quite well. There were other things that I enjoyed about this profile, however those exceptionally real moments where Ebert and his wife discuss hospitals, surgeries, reconstructive procedures, et cetera, are the most powerful moments of this profile.
And though the assignment I think was to pick one profile, I would like to add that the Mr. Rogers piece struck me as being almost creepy in the way that Rogers was described and revered. I thought the Chicago Times journalist was much more developed and thoughtful than the Esquire journalist. I saw Fred Rogers as more of a more-than-human type of man whom I could ultimately not relate to. The Fred Rogers described to me here did not seem real, and so much of this profile did not really come to life, for me, like the Ebert piece did.