Maureen Orth and Tim Russert's last hug

When Tim Russert was leaving his hotel room in Italy to fly to D.C. to tape "Meet the Press," his wife, Maureen Orth, stopped him.

"I said to him, 'I want to give you a hug; maybe I'll never see you again,' " journalist Orth, 65 , tells People. "I don't know why I said that to him. I just had a feeling."

People reports that Russert was under extra stress at the time of his death: covering this year's presidential election; flying to Buffalo, N.Y., to visit his widowed father, Tim Sr., 84, in an assisted living facility — which Orth says was "a huge psychological strain for him."

They'd spent three days in Europe as part of a graduation present for their son, Luke Russert. "It was very hot and humid in Rome," Orth says. "I was so tired. I told him, 'I don’t know how you do it.' "

Russert was especially energetic when it came to his son, 22. "When it came to Luke, there was no detail too small," an executive producer of "Meet the Press" says.

On the morning of the day he died,  Tim Russert left work to go to his son's new apartment in D.C. and to wait for the cable man. "He could have hired someone to do it, but that wasn't Tim."

Photo: Tim Russert, left, Maureen Orth and Luke Russert at an XM radio event in April 2006.
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Comments

[Millie M. R. Kyle]

Dear Mrs. Russert,
I'm so glad to know you at least went with the feeling and gave your husband that hug. I know it is hard to share, but thank you so much. God alone heals us. I want you to know you will always be in my prayers as well as your son. God bless , Love you, Millie

[Gail H.]

Dear Mrs. Russert and family,
I identify so much with your husband. His sense of humor, the kid in him, the love of his family and the high cholesterol. I really thought I was going to die after I found out what caused his death. Then I realized God controls death and life. My prayers go out to you all. I am going to visit my doctors and try and get the best care I can receive and take better care of myself. Tim Russet was a man that just made you feel good. He seemed to have a permanent smile on his face. His father and son resemble him so much. Your lost is great, I know. Keep living and doing as he would want you to do. God Bless You All.

[Susan Thompson]

Dear Maureen, I am so profoundly sad knowing Tim Rissert will no longer be with us. I am in mourning and when I think of you and Luke dealing with the same loss I can hardly bear it. I know God will give you the strength to go on...please know that I am praying for all of you. I want you to write a book about your life with Tim and Luke..it would help all of us who will miss him so much . I shared the same birthday with Tim...as much as I loved the Sunday show and loved Tim, I did not know what a wonderful human being he was in so many ways. God Bless you...Susan Thompson

[Virginia Champion]

Thank you for sharing your Special Tim Russert! Sunday's will NOT be the same without his Special News for America. Especially Tim will be missed during the elections! We are so very thankful that you had some Family time together as Luke's Graduation Present.Please know that even though you have the most void in The Russert Family--America has lost a Great Friend & Journalist! May God Be With You & Give You Peace!

[Susan Turk]

To Mrs. Russert and Luke and family,
I wish to extend my prayers and faith and hope for your future. I have spent the last week crying on and off, and have never met Tim personally, yet I know him. I will cherish the time I spent watching him on Meet the Press and you will always be in my prayers.
God Bless you
Susan

[pat joseph]

Dear Maureen and Luke,
We are so very sorry for you loss. Tim was a big part of our lives - we were regular viewers, always saying, 'I need to hear what the big guy says' when there was an issue regarding the primaries. He was a wonderful person - our prayers are with you. We will miss him. Luke, I hpe you will do something in the public arena so we can see more of you. You did your dad proud.

[Ginger]

Dear Maureen,
I am jealous of the wonderful way you and Tim raised your son! You are such authentic human beings with no
part of your life being kept from us. What a role model Tim has been for parents
everywhere, and although You were a big part of their life it was Tim that brought the whole family into our homes.. Your last hug and the rainbow after the ceremony in Washinton and the fact that he passed away on Fathers Day weekend reminds me of who is in charge of our fate.
God Bless you,
Ginger

[Susan]

I lost my wonderfully handsome and physically fit father at 60 to pancreatic cancer. He was so full of life, so much more to do, so I feel I can relate to your loss and especially Luke's ( I was only 24). I do not know how we will have a Presidential election without Tim. As the mom of two sons almost 15 & 13 I am so proud of your Luke. Lean on him, he will support you. Sending you love, prayers and thanks. God Bless.

[Margery]

Dear Mrs. Russert and Luke:

I lost my beautiful accomplished daughter to suicide ten years ago and not since then have I cried out loud about another person's death.

Learn to celebrate Tim's life,and things will get better over time. It was an honor to learn about your love for each other and to view Tim's charismatic, charming personality.

All my best to both of you,

Margery W.

[Ellie]

My daughter answered my question why I cryed so much for our beloved Tim. In my 76 years this sort of thing never happened to me. She said he touched my heart because of all we knew about him as a human being and now I can understand what attracted you two to each other.
God will continue to Bless you and yours and I know you will find peace eventually because God now has added Tim in watching over you and yours. Keep the faith!! it will carry you thru. Thanks for sharing him with us.
Ellie

[arlene walker]

Dear Maureen and Luke: I am so sorry for your loss. I have cried an ocean over the last week; Tim's death has affected my entire being; although I never had the pleasure of meeting him "in person", I felt like I knew him - why? because he was just himself; never pretentious or arrogant, yet so intelligent, accomplished and knowledgeable. What a wonderful human being -I miss him terribly, like I've lost a big brother.. Tim and I had a lot in common: we were born in the same year, we're both huge Buffalo Bills fans (I'm from Toronto) and overall Sports Fanatics; we're both Roman Catholics, educated in Catholic schools and we shared a deep affection for politics and loved the same kind of music. The memorial service for Tim was overwhelmingly beautiful in its tribute to Tim. Thank you for sharing him with all of us. You have my heartfelt sympathy. The rainbow over Washington at the end of the memorial service was a communique from God that Tim is in good hands.
May God bless you both.
Arlene

[Mary Rose]

As an Irish Catholic schooled by the nuns and priests and roots from Upstate New York, I feel I have lost a brother. My dad also died quick like Tim but Dad was only 39. He too was under a lot of stress at work with deadlines and this took its toll. Mother being an RN said 'stress is what took Dad to heaven'. My Dad like Tim, never met a stranger and was such a giving person. I know both are in Heaven doing what they know best..."getting involved".
My deepest sympathy to you, Luke, his Dad and his sisters.

[Mary Lou Eustace]

As a Buffalo native I am so saddened by Tim's death. My husband is originally from South Buffalo (Bloomfield St.). He knew Tim's sisters. My Sunday morn will be empty without Tim on Meet the Press. All the best to both Maureen and Luke.

[Irvin Murrell]

Dear Mrs. Russert,
Like others who have written you, I, too, never had a chance to meet Tim in person, yet when he was on NBC Nightly News, he was genuine, and you could tell it. May I encourage you and Luke to get a hymnal and learn to sing the hymns dealing with consolation, death, etc. You see, hymns are where we gain our strength for times like this. They teach us theology and deepen our "faith-roots" so that when storms come, we will be well prepared and protected by our beliefs to deal with the storms. Please know that my heart and prayers go out to you and your son. A good book, although out of print (can be found on ebay), is John Claypool's wonderful little book "Tracks of a Fellow Struggler." The contents of the book are four sermons he preached when his daughter, Laura Lue, suffered with and died with cancer (leukemia). I read it when my mom died, and it helped so much. You might also want to get a recording by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir of Johannes Brahms' glorious work, "A German Requiem," sung in English. Brahms wrote it to give comfort to the living. Please know that you and your son are in my prayers. Remember that the God Who gave you the "good old days" will also be the God Who will give you the "good new days." Just be patient and continue to walk in faith.

Most sincerely,

Irvin Murrell