A small world

I knew her name. She was a celebrity actor and I recalled that she was popular and rated for her craft. But I was never a watcher of either Heroes or Nashville. So I didn’t really know exactly who she was or what she achieved. It seemed like a particularly tragic event though and when I read in People that she suddenly passed away in South Carolina, I decided to investigate. After all, I will shortly be travelling to Greenville myself.

And there it was. A few short details from TMZ: “According to TMZ, a friend found the actress in a South Carolina home. Emergency services were called to check on an ‘unresponsive female’ in ‘cardiac arrest,’ the outlet has reported.

“The Greenville County coroner will conduct an official autopsy to determine the official cause of death, but police say that there are no initial signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.

“Law enforcement officers said the friend called 911 around 2 p.m. on Sunday. Greenville police officers and EMS workers then attempted to resuscitate the actress using ‘advanced cardiac life support’ and chest compressions.”

Sjoe. Before I heard all about my nephew’s fiancée, then at the girlfriend stage, I had never heard of Greenville. When I did, I thought it was close the coast. As it turns out, it sits right at the top of this southern state, close to the border of North Carolina. In fact, as Wikipedia describes it: Greenville is situated in the northwestern “Upstate” region of South Carolina. Its position is highly defined by its proximity to neighboring American state lines, making it a significant transportation hub between major southeastern hubs.

• The North Carolina Border: The northern border of Greenville County sits directly on the North Carolina state line. Downtown Greenville itself is roughly 25 miles south of this border. It serves as a gateway to North Carolina mountain destinations like Hendersonville and Asheville via Interstate 26 and US Highway 276.

• The Georgia Border: The city is located roughly 40 miles east of the Georgia state line, which is separated from South Carolina by the Savannah River.

• Interstate Corridor Placement: Greenville is positioned almost exactly equidistant between two out-of-state metro hubs along the Interstate 85 corridor. It sits about 100 miles southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina, and 145 miles northeast of Atlanta, Georgia.

So, ja. From never hearing of Greenville to planning my travelling trip for Joe and EP’s wedding on the fifth of September, to following the unfolding tragedy of Hayden Panettiere’s passing due to a shared, coincidental geographical proximity. You just never know, do you?