Former colleague reveals very personal story in today's New York Times Magazine

On Saturday evening, I was scrolling through some blogs when I came across a familiar name. The blog L.A. Observed reported that Michael Krikorian had written a piece for the NYTimes Mag about a young man in trouble from Compton. The twist was that Krikorian had once thought this young man was his son. He still carries his name: Michael Krikorian Jr.

Krikorian and I became good friends when he was a reporter at The Fresno Bee, and we continued that friendship when he went to the Los Angeles Times a few years ago. He is now a freelance writer working on a novel.

I had never heard the story about Michael Krikorian Jr. and Michael's relationship with the boy's mother, a woman from Compton who got hooked on crack. The young man Michael once thought was his son is now 19, in a L.A. street gang and in jail awaiting trial on a gang-related murder. I emailed Michael and asked if there is anything else I should know. He said he'd be in town in a few weeks and we'd catch up.

Michael's piece is in today's edition in the Lives section of the Times' mag. You can read it by clicking here.

Michael had supported the young man until he finally learned that he was not the boy's father. But he still carries Michael's name. After learning that he had been arrested last summer, he decided to go see him at L.A.'s Men's Central Jail. He had not seen the boy since he was 6 or 7 years old. Michael writes revealingly about the emotions he felt during this reunion.

(Bee file photo: Michael Krikorian used to be a reporter for The Fresno Bee.)