* CLTV political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez died tonight at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago after a tough bout with cancer.

A blood clot in his leg moved to his lung this morning. He then suffered a massive heart attack and was kept on life support until his entire family could be with him. Also with him throughout the day were several of his friends and journalism colleagues.

Carlos was one of a kind. A hard-hitting, sharp-tongued, take no prisoners reporter who often dressed like it was still the late 1950s - complete with snazzy fedora and skinny tie. Carlos put this on his Facebook page under “job description”…

I keep ‘em honest

Yes, he did.

Carlos followed Lord Buckley’s command to “stomp upon the terra.” You knew he was there, man. Here are just two examples of how he dealt with politicians…

Carlos was the best friend I ever had in journalism. We hung out at the Billy Goat when I lived in Chicago, and then after I moved to Springfield he occasionally stayed at my house when his employer wouldn’t spring for a hotel. I accidentally got him in trouble on his wedding day because the two of us went out way too late the night before to celebrate. Oops.

We had such great chemistry whenever we did “Chicago Tonight” together that we often discussed partnering on various projects. Last year, Carlos and I talked more about starting a new political media company, but we decided he needed to keep his corporate health insurance until he got past the cancer. At one point, we all thought he’d make it through. But it was not to be.

Carlos’ wife, Randi Belisomo Hernandez, is also a CLTV reporter and one heckuva woman. Randi has been forced to endure so much pain since they discovered the cancer. I can’t imagine what must be going through her mind now.

I’ll post arrangement information when I know more.

Rest in peace, buddy.

You can comment on Carlos’ Facebook page, leave kind thoughts at Randi’s Facebook page, and/or comment on a post I have up at Facebook.

…Adding… More at the Tribune and WGN.

…Adding more… From Joe Ryan at the Daily Herald…

Carlos was a leader as a reporter, and more importantly, as a person.

Life can come up short on humanity. But Carlos exuded far more than his share.

The press corps is not known for warm embraces, especially for their own kind.

Carlos, however, would joke and gab with the alphas just as often as the runts. His friendships spanned the social ladder and connected every rung.

Without Carlos, the storied Chicago press corps is less.

Yet, for having known him, been inspired by him, been thrown into fits of laughter and pushed to keep fighting by him - we are all better people than before.

Cathleen Falsani of the Sun-Times…

I wish I had been there to say goodbye in person. He was one of the sweetest, kindest souls I’ve ever known.

Please pray for his wife, Randi, and his family and friends tonite. He leaves a fedora-shaped hole in my heart.

I am so grateful for the blessing of his friendship and look forward to seeing him again.

Carlos was an insane Beatles fan. I was with him the night George Harrison died.

I’ll never hear them again without thinking of my darling Papi.

Via con Dios, hermano.

…Adding still more… The Sun-Times obituary…

Carlos Hernandez Gomez, political reporter for CLTV, stood out among Chicago reporters not only because of his old-school fedora, but also because of his encyclopedic knowledge of Chicago politics.

He didn’t need notes to tell his audience who was backing whom in a campaign, why a specific endorsement was so important — or why two politicians couldn’t stand each other.

Off camera, he was the life of the party, a friendly, down-to-earth storyteller who would do spot-on renditions of politicians’ speaking styles — often at their request. […]

“Carlos was more than a great reporter and a great friend to hundreds of people. He had a great heart,” said Sun-Times investigative reporter Steve Warmbir, who was best man at Mr. Hernandez’s wedding.

“In a business filled with cynics, he was one of the kindest and most decent people you would ever want to meet.”

The CS-T also dug up a great photo…

From WGN…