Difficult Stories

I get emotionally invested in just about every story I do. It (hopefully) brings some passion to my storytelling and becomes more interesting for the viewers. But it can pose some problems when the stories are tough to handle. I've had a few of these stories lately.

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A few weeks ago, a 23 year old man was brutally murdered in an apparent random killing. A few days later, I talked with David Grubbs' friends about who he was.

A 19 year old girl from the Medford area was killed in a highway accident. I talked with some of Kiana's high school classmates and teachers about how she grew from a quiet freshman who was finding her place, to a strong senior helping others find their places.

Two horses were rescued from a home where they were being neglected. The horses hadn't had their hooves trimmed in two years. One couldn't stand and was 200 pounds underweight. I was there when the vet took x-rays and the farrier trimmed down the horses' hooves.

A disabled father who needed help getting around, died in a fire in his home last week. I talked with neighbors who knew him, his wife, and his two school age children.

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These stories grip my heart. I see people crying, their worlds torn apart. I play reporter, but also psychologist. And their feelings dominate as I listen through interviews, piece together the most emotional pieces, and write around them. Their words become mine.

It's draining to go through this.

But it's always an honor to be able to tell these stories. Hopefully, doing them justice, and making the viewers feel something. That's what it's all about.