Ex-Register reporter Michael Bellmore of Hamden remembered for talent, sensitivity

MARA LAVITT — NEW HAVEN REGISTER Former New Haven Register reporter Michael Bellmore working in the newsroom during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The dog with him, Nike, belonged to former Register reporter Jordan Fenster, who had no power at his home and brought the dog in with him to work so the dog would be safe. less MARA LAVITT — NEW HAVEN REGISTER Former New Haven Register reporter Michael Bellmore working in the newsroom during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The dog with him, Nike, belonged to former Register ... more Photo: Journal Register Co. Photo: Journal Register Co. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Ex-Register reporter Michael Bellmore of Hamden remembered for talent, sensitivity 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

HAMDEN >> During his 14 months as a reporter at the New Haven Register, Michael Bellmore impressed everyone with his talent and sensitivity in covering the news.

Bellmore died unexpectedly Saturday at Yale-New Haven Hospital at the age of 27, leaving behind many distraught friends, relatives and current and former coworkers.

Bellmore, a Hamden resident, had covered Hamden and North Haven for the newspaper during his tenure, from October 2012 through November 2013. He had been an intern at the Register during his time as a student at Southern Connecticut State University.

Managing Editor Mark Brackenbury said he has had the pleasure of hiring many people over the years, and telling someone they’ve gotten the job is always a fun phone call to make.

“But no one has ever reacted more excitedly than Mike did when we offered him a job. He brought that same infectious enthusiasm to our newsroom,” Brackenbury said.

“Mike did lots of good work in his time here, but the pieces I remember most are two columns he wrote about attending church services in Newtown in the wake of the school shooting,” Brackenbury said.

“Mike expressed in a brutally honest, heartfelt and eloquent way what I’m sure many of us in the newsroom were feeling: We knew we needed to cover this terrible but important story, but in doing so we felt like intruders on a community’s grief. Mike was not afraid to expose his feelings of guilt to the world, and in so doing showed what a thoughtful and sensitive reporter — and person — he was.”

Bellmore’s coverage earned him recognition from the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists — a second-place award for the column “Last night I wasn’t happy.”

In a second column, “Lapsed Catholic has a confession to make,” Bellmore wrote, “The killings in Newtown shook me, as they have shaken everyone. Every day I drove into Newtown, whatever direction I came, the first memorial I would see on the side of the road would knock the wind out of me.

“Newtown, to me, is a living definition of ambivalence. When I drive through the town center, I don’t know whether to cry from sadness for the victims or to cry for the hope I see in the defiant signs and banners, the hope in the mountains of flowers and stuffed animals and candles — tokens of love that good people gave Newtown, to say, ‘We’re here for you.’”

Connecticut Group Editor Matt DeRienzo said, “There’s a special bond among the reporters and editors who covered Sandy Hook together, and losing Mike is a horrible thing to process. During that time, and throughout his tenure at the New Haven Register, he provided an important, empathetic voice to our coverage.”

From storms to investigative projects, Bellmore was always ready and willing to help with whatever story needed covering.

Register reporter Ebony Walmsley said he always came to the newsroom with a smile and positive attitude.

“Mike’s acceptance of others made you feel like you had known him for years. He always took the time to chat with you throughout the day and was generally interested in his colleagues as individual people,” said Walmsley.

“Mike was a brilliant, creative writer; always taking the time to construct his stories with care. He genuinely cared about the subjects of his stories and used this trait to allow for those in his beats of Hamden and North Haven to trust him not only as a reporter but as a person. I am proud to follow in his footsteps. As my desk-mate for over a year, I will miss Mike’s diligence, ingenuity and quirkiness.”

Register reporter Rich Scinto said Bellmore was a great journalist because he genuinely cared about people.

“Besides being a good colleague, Mike was also a good friend who was willing to help anyone whether it was work-related or not,” Scinto said. “He had a quick wit and a dry sense of humor, and I’m blessed to have known him.”

His cousin, Louis Guida of Manhattan, said Bellmore was like a little brother to him.

“I loved him dearly,” Guida said. “He was a wonderful human being who will be missed painfully by many. We are all still in shock. He had so much potential and talent, and this is very hard for us.”

Guida wrote a lengthy tribute on Bellmore’s Facebook page, where many have gone to write about their memories of him.

“He was such a beautiful, brilliant young man, with the soul of a poet and a heart of gold,” Guida wrote. “His thoughtfulness, kindness and humility impressed everyone who knew him. His wit, humor and charm always made him a pleasure to be around. I was so, so proud to watch him grow into the man he was, staying true to his principles and the pursuit of his passion, while brightening every life he touched in the process.”

According to Guida, Bellmore as a teenager talked about how much he wanted to be a writer and poet, even though he knew it would be hard to make a living doing so. Guida said he was proud when he later saw his stories in the newspaper.

“Despite my incredible sorrow from his passing, I’m also incredibly grateful for the passion and persistence that drove him to listen to his heart and do what he loved in following his calling,” Guida said.

Register Night Editor Al Santangelo said that passion showed in the way Bellmore approached his work.

“Mike’s enthusiasm and natural talents were impressive, inspiring and reassuring,” Santangelo said. “He leapt into his role as a journalist with everything he had, and wanted to experience every facet of the ‘news’ — not just the collecting of facts and crafting of a story, but the editing, the design and production of the newspaper, the workings of the minds of the people who had spent decades in the business. He appreciated the care and effort his colleagues put into the newspaper, and he wanted to be a part of that, too — to write headlines, to see his stories being edited line by line, to watch pages being designed with photos to complement his words. He was friendly, smart and funny, and there was no missing how much he genuinely cared — about journalism and its future, about colleagues facing layoffs or personal trials, about trying to be the best at whatever he did. He gave me the opportunity to share things I’ve learned over the years to someone yearning for the information. More than just the immediate loss, Mike’s passing is all the more sad because of what I know he would have accomplished.”

After he left the Register, Bellmore went to work for the town of Hamden as a consultant.

Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson said he helped with social media and communications.

Jackson praised Bellmore’s writing skills and called him a “fantastic” reporter.

“Every time he was in the office, he was wide-eyed and enthusiastic, just having him around helped us remember why we do what we do,” Jackson said. “He was like everybody’s little brother, the guy you could always root for. We will miss him and his enthusiasm.”

Bellmore graduated cum laude from SCSU. He was an intern at SCSU’s Office of Public Affairs during the 2011-12 academic year, writing feature stories and press releases.

Patrick Dilger, director of public affairs at Southern, said Bellmore was a hard-working student who “showed promise as a writer and an eagerness to learn during his internship.”

“He was very upbeat and popular around the office and the campus itself,” Dilger said. “His passing is a shock to us and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends.”

Joe Musante, assistant director of public affairs at SCSU, agreed.

“Mike demonstrated to us from the outset that he was eager to develop his skills as a writer and learn the technical tools of the trade,” Musante said. “But he also possessed an enthusiasm and general curiosity about the people and subject matters he covered, which is so important in becoming a successful journalist. He was a personable and humble individual who had a bright future ahead of him. We are going to miss him very much.”

Bellmore’s family has asked that contributions in his memory be made to SCSU, MFA Fund/Poetry and Creative Writing, 501 Crescent St., New Haven, CT 06515, or at http://www.southernct.edu/giving.

The cause of death is “pending further studies,” according to the chief state medical examiner’s office

Calling hours are 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Beecher & Bennett, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden. A Mass of Christian burial will be said at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Hamden.