Before coming to work here at WEWS, I spent four years at WKBW in Buffalo as the morning anchor there. The people there and friends outside of work were immediately on my mind this morning when I learned about the tragic plane crash in Clarence Center – just outside of Buffalo.
My first thought as I walked into the newsroom this morning and saw “Plane Crash in Buffalo” on the TV – and then later seeing Clarence Center – was that the area where the plane crashed is one of the most upscale of the Buffalo suburbs. Professional athletes live there – the richest of the rich.
I then started thinking about my old newsroom in Buffalo. What must be happening there at 4am? Glancing across our newsroom, I saw a monitor that was tuned to the ABC affiliate in Buffalo (my old station) and I saw the main anchor team (Keith Radford and Joanna Pasceri) still broadcasting live! They had apparently been on the air since 11pm Thursday night. Pasceri and I had spent 2+ years anchoring the morning news together and I thought to myself – she’s a perfect person to be anchoring this type of news – a consummate professional. I thought about how tired they must be while I watched for a moment.
Then, I began thinking about the fact that I would surely know someone who knew someone on the plane. Buffalo is such a tight-knit city that it seems like wherever you go, you run into people who already know each other. Inevitably, I’ll hear a story in the coming days. A friend of mine from college already contacted me to say that a former colleague of his was on the plane.
That’s when the news becomes reality for many people. When you can actually put a face to the story. When it’s not just 50 people killed in a plane – when you actually know someone or know someone who knew someone. The story is tragic either way – but it becomes real when you can actually identify with it.
While it is horrible that 50 people were killed, it is a miracle that 2 of the 3 people inside the home that was hit, actually survived. The stories that lie ahead are sure to be sad. I don’t look forward to hearing them. Here’s hoping something is learned from whatever caused this tragedy.
Thoughts? Please leave them in the comment box below or e-mail me at kenworthy@newsnet5.com
Pete
