Happy trails to Joe Blundo. Central Ohio's 'Andy Rooney' served us well.

Thanks to Columbus' Andy Rooney

A letter to Joe Blundo: As a longtime reader of the Dispatch, I was sad to read that your Feb. 11 column was your last.

I want to thank you for all the fun I've had reading your column over the years. They were always thought-provoking and often downright hilarious. I often thought of you as central Ohio's version of Andy Rooney.

A grateful career| Joe Blundo's last Dispatch column

Best wishes to you! I don't read a lot of blogs or other online stuff, but I might check out your writings on Substack.com.

Gerald Bishop, Milford Center

What's on your mind? How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch

I placed my child in a hearse

Three years ago, I carried my almost 3-year-old dead daughter’s body and placed her in a hearse.

No parent wants their children to precede them in death.

Not all children’s deaths are preventable, but there are ways to insure against certain tragic fates.

February is Rare Disease Month. There are many rare diseases and collectively 25-30 million Americans are estimated to have a rare disease. Not all children born with rare diseases will die, but thousands of children die each year, and many thousands more suffer from inherited, preventable, genetic diseases.

Rare Disease Month: Ohioans can make major difference in fight against rare diseases

Many diseases are passed on from parents who are carriers. Families are forced to watch their children suffer, and perhaps die, later knowing that the suffering could have been avoided. Prospective parents can get widely available carrier screening for many of the known genetic rare diseases.

Informed parents can decide how best to move forward having children, if both parents are carriers of a rare disease. There are still many ways to safely have a family.

I urge anyone who is planning a family to speak with their MD, OBGYN, or a genetic counselor about screening.

Most insurance companies cover screening. You don’t want to know that February is Rare Disease Month for the wrong reasons.

Don’t be rare and unaware. Know what you’re carrying before she’s carrying. What’s in your genes?

Kevin Levine, Bexley

Peace is not possible

It's ironic that a lot of Palestinians are being killed in Gaza who hate Hamas as much as we do.

Life is not fair; it never was and never will be.

You may not believe the Bible but take a look at the Old Testament, a lot of it is history and backed by secular historical writings, how many millennials have countries been trying to eradicate the Jews.

How many countries since 1948 have tried to do the same thing.

It's not going to happen. Peace between the Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims and Israel is not going to happen, it's a pipe dream.

Israel-Hamas War| Criticism is not about Israel's right to exist, it is about t Palestinians' right to live

There are cases where they do live together peacefully, but that is not the norm. There are radicals on both sides who are not going to let that happen.

All of these countries and officials who are trying to tell Israel what do, don't have an enemy whose sole purpose is to wipe them out.

Remember how we felt on 9/11? Put yourself in Israel's place and see how you feel then.

Charlie M. Miller, West Jefferson

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Joe Blundo leaves The Dispatch. Why he meant so much to Columbus.