Only the good die young

On the day Kenneth Ramage turned 18, he was eager to donate blood. Volunteering at a food shelf with his mom gave him a sense of satisfaction, but the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina inspired him to major in emergency management at North Dakota State University in Fargo, where he would have started classes this the fall.

Rochester teen wanted to make a difference

Myron P. Medcalf and Jim Adams
Last update: July 28, 2006

As Kenneth Ramage grew into his late teens, he craved knowledge about politics.
Even before he could vote, he sifted through political candidates' agendas, vowing to support those with his own ideals and values. He scoured newspapers and watched political TV shows with similar motives.

Ramage, 18, of Rochester, was riding his bike to a meeting with Rep. Andy Welti, DFL-Plainview, when he was hit by a vehicle on Hwy. 52 near Rochester. He died Thursday at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.

Ramage was a volunteer for the legislator's campaign.

(The entire article is here.)