Tragedies Hit Close To Home

As much as I love what I do, there are times like today (Thursday March 19, 2009) I wish I could do my job by proxy.

My story today was on Brandon McDaniel, a 20-year-old man who was killed earlier in a one-car-accident.  From what I learned about Brandon, he was a great kid.  He was very into his faith.  His love of God lead him to help the youth grow closer to God through mentorship and his Christian rock band (MyCalvary).  Brandon had a girlfriend named Kelly.  Brandon was very close to his mother, who had worked two jobs to support him and help him pay for college.  Brandon was also a college student at North Greenville.  He was hoping to make a career through ministry.  He had tons of potential and wanted to help so many, but tragically he won’t get to.

When you go out to do a story like this with his friends and family, your goal as a reporter is to give a “face” and personality to that name and picture on the tv screen.  You feel good by doing a heartwarming story, but seeing people suffer in sadness is agonizing.  More times than I can count, including today, I find myself tearing up over the situation.  You see first-hand how unfair life can be.  It’s not fair that Brandon had to die.  He was doing the Lord’s work and we need people like that around. 

But at the same time, Brandon’s tragedy is uplifting and gives you hope, hope that there are good people around and hope that people can have such strong faith in times of great dispair. 

No job is easy, and covering this story wasn’t, but in the end, it will be worth it, if my piece will make people think twice and appreciate what they have.

-RK