Stranger reporter shares Pulitzer honor with subject of story
Apr 17, 2012, 10:52 AM | Updated: Oct 14, 2024, 9:00 am
 According to Sanders, it was Jennifer’s bravery and eloquence in describing what had gone on, that enabled him to share the story. |
Last June, the survivor of the horrific South Park attack testified in court
against her assailant, the man that also murdered her partner. Eli
Sanders, a reporter at The Stranger, penned her story into an award-
winning piece.
On Monday, Sanders won the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing for “The Bravest Woman in
Seattle.”
Sanders said the celebration and honor of the award needed to be
celebrated with Jennifer, the woman whose story he told.
“She’s the one that told this story to a room of media and strangers and
people she knew, and court room adversaries, (in the form of the
defense attorneys) and relived her ordeal on the public record, for the
hope of justice and to bear witness to what had happened to her and her
partner that night in South Park.”
Thanks to Jennifer’s testimony, Isaiah Kalebu was found guilty of
aggravated murder, attempted murder, rape and burglary.
According to Sanders, it was Jennifer’s bravery and eloquence in
describing what had gone on, that enabled him to share the story.
“But her telling of the story came first,” he told 97.3 KIRO FM’s Ross & Burbank.
“It’s been wonderful to share it with Jennifer. She came over to our office
pretty shortly after we heard about this and met people who she hadn’t
met at The Stranger until yesterday, and toasted with us, and shared
what was a wonderful day.”
The award was the seventh Pulitzer given to an alt-weekly newspaper.
While Sanders knew he was nominated, he didn’t think that he’d won
when he checked the website Monday morning to find out who had
received the award.
He went into the office of Stranger editor Christopher Frizelle. ‘Is this
real?’ he asked.
“It’s been wonderful and overwhelming,” said Sanders, “an avalanche of
communication by every means possible from a lot of people all across
the country and people in other parts of the world.”
