Pulitzer Prize a big surprise to reporter

It was a glorious day in The Gazette's history: April 12, 1990.

A copy editor was the first to spot the news wire bulletin: ``Dave Curtin of the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph Thursday won the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for feature writing.''

The award-winning story ``Adam and Megan'' was a tale of one family's faith and courage to overcome the physical and emotional trauma of life-threatening and disfiguring burns. Six-year-old Adam and 4-year-old Megan Walter were burned June 21, 1988, when a propane leak caused an explosion in the basement of their Ellicott home.

Curtin knew that his work, published Jan. 8, 1989, had been entered in the prestigious, national journalism contest. But he dismissed any chances of winning, believing other stories written in The Gazette that year were better.

Curtin was not in the newsroom when the announcement came across the wire; he was across the street, having lunch in the St. Francis Hospital cafeteria. Reporter Kathryn Sosbe found Curtin and said the deputy managing editor, Jim Bishop, needed to see him immediately.

``There's a big story he wants you to work on,'' Sosbe told him.

``What is it?'' Curtin asked again and again. ``I kept pressing her because I wanted to finish my lunch.''

They walked across the street and into The Gazette, but a security guard stopped Curtin, who had forgotten his employee ID card. He had to sign in as a visitor before he could go upstairs.

When he finally walked into the newsroom, Curtin was dumbstruck as dozens of co-workers applauded.

``I'm going, `What the hell's going on?' '' said Curtin, now a Gazette features writer.

Sosbe pushed him toward editor Tom Mullen, who pointed to the news bulletin on the computer screen.

``I thought it was a practical joke,'' Curtin said. ``It was close to April Fools' Day and all.''

Mullen quickly ordered champagne and beer for the staff. Later that afternoon, an assistant city editor poured bubbly over Curtin's head, beginning a raucous newsroom celebration. The flying cork from that champagne bottle left a dent in the acoustic tile ceiling. Today, that dent still is marked by a small plaque: ``Champagne Cork Memorial -- Pulitzer Prize Celebration April 12, 1990.''

``A real gratifying thing for me is how thrilled everyone was for me,'' Curtin said. ``... There was a sense of family.''

Other Gazette staffers contributed to Curtin's award: project editor Carl Skiff, photographer Tom Kimmell, design director Terri Fleming and copy editor Margaret Grove. It remains the only Pulitzer Prize in the paper's history.