A day of heroes

My overachieving tendencies coupled with dozens of other quirks propel me if not enable me to excel in the news business--as an assignment editor, writer, broadcaster, thinker, and communicator.

Not knowing what will happen but being able to roll with any curve ball drives me through each day.

When I woke up Monday morning, I knew I was in store for a busy, history-making day as President Barack Obama criss-crossed Northeast Ohio.

If you did not believe this ideology before, I suggest you re-think your thinking.

One person DOES make a difference.

Monday morning, I had no idea that three people would make a world of difference in my travels and a dent in the history books.

Just look at Natoma Canfield.

50-year-old Natoma Canfield from Medina, Ohio wrote President Obama a letter sharing her health problems, her health care concerns, you could say, giving him a piece of her mind!

What are the chances that her letter would make its way to the President of the United States? But it did. And the next thing you know, President Obama is on his way to Northeast Ohio pushing his health care reform bill, using Natoma Canfield as a perfect example of WHY his idea should be accepted and passed.

Unfortunately, Canfield took ill and was at The Cleveland Clinic. Fortunately, her sister got a chance to speak for her, share her sister's story, and introduce the President.

Natoma Canfield --Monday's first hero who, regardless what happens, proved that one person can make a difference and no one should ever give up the fight or feel insignificant.


Enter President Barack Obama.


To many, he is a hero, a welcome change.

Regardless of your political preferences, he is the President of the United States and deserves the respect that office holds.

The fact that he acknowledged Natoma, her issues, and came to Cleveland to let the country know he IS listening and trying to do the right thing, makes him Monday's second hero.



As an assignment editor, a presidential visit day consists of chaos, long hours, dealing with the networks --CNN, NBC, NewsChannel, taking in feeds, sending out feeds, making sure all of the crews are strategically placed everywhere they should be until the President of the United States safely exits your city.


And, Monday's visit went off without a hitch.


We made it and were just counting down the hours until the end of the shift with a shroud of exhaustion hovering when the unthinkable happened.

Shortly before 11 p.m., yet again chaos erupted as a call came over for an officer shot in Elyria, Ohio. You can not drag your feet. You have to mobilize immediately without even thinking.

That's what I did. I immediately dispatched my crew in a truck, told the producer, and started writing a story for our website.

There were bits and pieces coming across the scanners so I honed in on whatever they were going to allow, which at this point, was not much.

At news time, we had a live shot, video already back in house, and broke in a few times as new information became available during the show.

When an officer is shot, there is never much information readily available, but we did know that one person had been killed and was laying under a sheet in the middle of the street. We knew another person, presumably the officer, had been transported to the hospital.

Unfortunately, after the news, we were informed that the Officer had died.


As of this writing, this story continues to unfold with many unanswered questions.


However, whomever the Elyria officer is, he is truly Monday's third hero serving his country, his city, his President to the fullest, by sacrificing his very life. I'm sure in the coming days we will find out more about this great man.


These three people all proved, in their own unique ways, that each person does make a difference. Ordinary people can become heroes and change the world. Natoma Canfield, President Barack Obama, and the Elyria Officer are all heroes to me.