The Day My Career Changed Forever
I am not sure how to start this post but I will be honest, this post isn't going to be satirical, or full of pictures of me slamming my butt against things, I think this post is a long time coming.
Today I ran in the "Sandy Hook Run For The Families" in Hartford. Myself along with 15,000 other runners were huddled in the streets of Hartford on a VERY cold morning, for one purpose, to remember 26 angels that were taken from this earth way too early.
I ran this race because I am an avid runner and I have a goal of running 100 races in my lifetime. Today marked race #27, which is fitting because 27 people died in Newtown on December 14th, 2012. 20 beautiful children, six amazing facility members and one mother who did the best she could raising a child who would turn out to be something bigger than she could handle.
Without getting into politics and creating a hole I may have to dig myself out of, I will leave it at that.
I am an assignment editor. I am an assignment editor who was sitting in a morning meeting on December 14th. I am an assignment editor who felt her world change at 9:50am on that day.
I remember the day like it was yesterday, and something I should do is talk about it more. But I can't, I can't bring myself to talk about how I feel about that day because I am still not entirely sure how I even feel about it.
I can't watch Robert Goulston's reel on his website because it contains footage from Sandy Hook that I can't even bear to watch.
I know that this day changed my career forever. The way I approach news will never be the same. It isn't easy covering this stuff and I know the media is perceived as "heartless" for covering such tragedies, but that is our job. Just like it is everyone's job now to never let this happen again.
On December 14th, I was not just a journalist, I was a human just like everyone else trying to wrap their head around such tragedy.
I still have a ton of feelings I wish I could express about that day but I am having a hard time trying to figure out how to place them and organize them, so maybe this type of post will come again in the future.
But today, I was apart of something so much bigger than me. Today, I was able to give something to Sandy Hook that I had been wanting to do for a while. I ran 3.1 miles at a moderately fast speed for 20 children who used to run into their parents room during a thunderstorm. I ran for 6 teachers who ran right into the face of danger because they are true heroes. I ran for a mother who believed she did all she could to raise a son the best way she could.
I felt something in the crowd today that I have never felt at a race before, there was no competition, there was no race to the finish, it was all about running in memory of beautiful souls.
Before the race started, a bell rang 26 times. I felt every single ring of the bell roll through my body like blood flows through my veins. I felt it in every muscle, every ache and every tear that rolled down my face.
I felt the 20 children from Sandy Hook behind me, following me to the finish line. I felt the 6 teachers encouraging me to reach the finish line and give it all I got.
Today I felt myself finding a light in the dark tunnel that I have been dealing with since December 14th.
Today I ran in the "Sandy Hook Run For The Families" in Hartford. Myself along with 15,000 other runners were huddled in the streets of Hartford on a VERY cold morning, for one purpose, to remember 26 angels that were taken from this earth way too early.
I ran this race because I am an avid runner and I have a goal of running 100 races in my lifetime. Today marked race #27, which is fitting because 27 people died in Newtown on December 14th, 2012. 20 beautiful children, six amazing facility members and one mother who did the best she could raising a child who would turn out to be something bigger than she could handle.
Without getting into politics and creating a hole I may have to dig myself out of, I will leave it at that.
I am an assignment editor. I am an assignment editor who was sitting in a morning meeting on December 14th. I am an assignment editor who felt her world change at 9:50am on that day.
I remember the day like it was yesterday, and something I should do is talk about it more. But I can't, I can't bring myself to talk about how I feel about that day because I am still not entirely sure how I even feel about it.
I can't watch Robert Goulston's reel on his website because it contains footage from Sandy Hook that I can't even bear to watch.
I know that this day changed my career forever. The way I approach news will never be the same. It isn't easy covering this stuff and I know the media is perceived as "heartless" for covering such tragedies, but that is our job. Just like it is everyone's job now to never let this happen again.
On December 14th, I was not just a journalist, I was a human just like everyone else trying to wrap their head around such tragedy.
I still have a ton of feelings I wish I could express about that day but I am having a hard time trying to figure out how to place them and organize them, so maybe this type of post will come again in the future.
But today, I was apart of something so much bigger than me. Today, I was able to give something to Sandy Hook that I had been wanting to do for a while. I ran 3.1 miles at a moderately fast speed for 20 children who used to run into their parents room during a thunderstorm. I ran for 6 teachers who ran right into the face of danger because they are true heroes. I ran for a mother who believed she did all she could to raise a son the best way she could.
I felt something in the crowd today that I have never felt at a race before, there was no competition, there was no race to the finish, it was all about running in memory of beautiful souls.
Before the race started, a bell rang 26 times. I felt every single ring of the bell roll through my body like blood flows through my veins. I felt it in every muscle, every ache and every tear that rolled down my face.
I felt the 20 children from Sandy Hook behind me, following me to the finish line. I felt the 6 teachers encouraging me to reach the finish line and give it all I got.
Today I felt myself finding a light in the dark tunnel that I have been dealing with since December 14th.
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| Mom and I pre-race |
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| Post Race Celebration with Mom and Christina |
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| Christina and I before the race started |
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| Just some of the 15,000 people |
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| Our amazing shirts thanks to Christina |
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| The front of the amazing shirts! |
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