Goodbye Old Friend...

Before I give you my daily update, I must begin with some tragic news that happened this afternoon.   A 2 seater air plane crashed near Lakefront airport shortly after 3 pm killing both people aboard.  One of them was my dear friend & long time colleague Nancy Parker.   Nancy came to Ch. 8 in 1995 from WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge,   She had a reputation there as someone who got involved in the community, in knowing her co-workers and in being a great storyteller.   Let me focus on her storytelling.  I sat next to her each night for 21 years. I got to know Nancy & her family (Her Momma Patsy helped show my youngest son the Auburn campus ) and felt more like her brother than co-worker.   Perhaps that is why in 1997 she asked if she could follow me when I was going to have my 1st colonoscopy.  You have to be close even to ask!   She wanted to show our viewers how easy it was and to take away the fear factor.  She made storytelling fun, entertaining, and most importantly, educational.   After my wife died in 2002 from a blood clot, Nancy asked to do a story on the dangers of DVT & PE.  I was hurting, but I knew if Nancy was my storyteller, I need not fear.   She was so great explaining what killed my wife, how PE (Pulmonary Embolism) was both treatable but, more importantly, PREVENTABLE.  Within the first month after the story aired, over 50 people called to say Nancy saved their life!  That's how good a storyteller she was.   Finally, in 2008, Nancy & I teamed up again.  This time she followed me & Dr. Buddy Savoie during my rotator cuff surgery.   What a wonderful lady, caring Mother & loving wife.     Some of my greatest memories happened off camera during commercials.  Nancy was one funny lady!   Sure, you can dwell on how she died, but I'm always going to focus on how she lived...and oh did she ever live!  Those who ever met her will all say the same thing.  We are better off by knowing Nancy Parker.  Goodbye old friend.  R.I.P.

The weather seems so insignificant today.  Sure we tied the record high (98).  Who cares?  We should see rain chances increasing over the weekend into next week.  Who cares?  NHC is placing a 20% probability for tropical development along an old frontal boundary that extends out of the Gulf up off the Carolina coasts.  Again, who cares?  Out hearts are heavy and our thoughts and prayers are with Nancy & her family.  Before you go to sleep, hug your spouse  & kids and remember, tomorrow is not promised to anybody.