Profiles in Local Courage: A NewsNetwork 10 Exclusive.
ARCHER STERLING: Good morning, and welcome to the Early Edition of NewsNetwork 10 News: Your first source for local news, from Napiersburg to Ditmer Lake and throughout the tri-county region. NewsNetwork 10: Where more people get the news that matters, first. Updates every hour, and traffic and weather on the 5s and 9s. Along with Kelly LaMonica, I’m Archer Sterling, of course. Good Morning, Kelly.
KELLY LAMONICA: Good Morning, Archer. Can you believe the weather out there this morning?
ARCHER: Ha ha, you’re not kidding! But on a much more serious note, we’re joined this morning by Kyle Baldridge, a man that many are calling…a hero. Good morning, Kyle.
KYLE: Good Morning.
ARCHER: First thing’s first, Kyle. I’ve just got to ask you: What do you think of our new digs here?
KYLE: Um, it’s nice.
ARCHER: The designers say that it’s supposed to feel residential, but if you ask me, I think it’s a little too Oprah-y.
KELLY: Now don’t you start on this again. (laughs)
ARCHER: All right, all right. Now, Kyle, My producer tells me that up until now, you’ve been very reluctant to talk to the media about your heroic role in the tragic Wilson Road Arby’s fire. What made you change your mind? Did you get caught up in the excitement of being on television? It can be quite a thrill – and obviously I would know.
KYLE: I wanted to honor the memories of those who lost their lives in the fire. I lost four of my coworkers that day, four of my friends. They were truly some of the greatest people I’ve ever known.
ARCHER: There’s no question that it’s a tragedy. No question. Now let me ask you: why did you choose NewsNetwork 10? Did you feel more comfortable talking with the news team voted “Most Trusted News Team” in the Tri-County Shopper’s annual Readers’ Poll?
KELLY: “Most Trusted” three years in a row, Arch.
ARCHER: Ha ha. You won’t hear me bragging, Kelly. But Kyle, people are asking: “Why NewsNetwork 10?” Were you confident that only the NewsNetwork 10 team could present your story with the compassion it deserves? Were you as shocked and saddened as the rest of us by the insensitive remarks ActionCenter NBC8 anchor Curt Custer made about the Arby’s tragedy on last Tuesday’s newscast?
KYLE: Uh, I don’t know. The fact is, some good people died that night, Archer. I don’t want the world to forget that.
ARCHER: Without a doubt. Some folks are calling you a hero, Kyle. Is that a word you’d use to describe yourself? A lot of people want to call me a hero for being first on the scene with late breaking news as it happens, in real time. But the way I see it, I’m just a simple newsman doing my job. How about you, though? Are you a hero?
KYLE: Well, I don’t know about “hero.” I just did what seemed right at the time. I knew that there were people in danger and I was really just acting on instinct.
ARCHER: Exactly. It’s like I said, I’m no hero either. Just a simple newsman. Doing my job.
KYLE: Am I supposed to…
ARCHER: Let me take you back to that night, Kyle. You step out of the walk-in cooler and the Arby’s is filled with clouds of thick black smoke. People are screaming; they’re panicking. Without thinking, you grab Theresa Duntz and race for the exit. Flames are licking at your dirty Arby’s shoes, burning embers are falling onto the shoulders of your threadbare Arby’s uniform, the heat is unimaginable. In the midst of all that chaos, did it ever cross your mind, even for a moment, that you’d be on TV talking to NewsNetwork 10’s Archer Sterling just six days later?
KYLE: Um, I didn’t…I wasn’t really thinking about any of that, I guess.
ARCHER: From the night shift at Arby’s to this. A simple guy like you. It’s an incredible story. And as a testament to your valiant bravery in the face of extreme peril without any regard for your own personal safety, we’d like to invite you to stick around and introduce the NewsNetwork 10 “Perfect 10” Pet Corner Pet Photo of the Week.
KYLE: Okay.
ARCHER: Thank you, Kyle. When we return, we’ll get a visit from the cat that many are calling…a hero. It’s a story you’ll only see on NewsNetwork 10: Where more people get the news that matters, first. Updates every hour, and traffic and weather on the…do you want to do it, Kyle?
KYLE: 5s and 9s.
ARCHER: Ha ha. We’ll be back with traffic and weather on the 5s and 9s.
KELLY LAMONICA: Good Morning, Archer. Can you believe the weather out there this morning?
ARCHER: Ha ha, you’re not kidding! But on a much more serious note, we’re joined this morning by Kyle Baldridge, a man that many are calling…a hero. Good morning, Kyle.
KYLE: Good Morning.
ARCHER: First thing’s first, Kyle. I’ve just got to ask you: What do you think of our new digs here?
KYLE: Um, it’s nice.
ARCHER: The designers say that it’s supposed to feel residential, but if you ask me, I think it’s a little too Oprah-y.
KELLY: Now don’t you start on this again. (laughs)
ARCHER: All right, all right. Now, Kyle, My producer tells me that up until now, you’ve been very reluctant to talk to the media about your heroic role in the tragic Wilson Road Arby’s fire. What made you change your mind? Did you get caught up in the excitement of being on television? It can be quite a thrill – and obviously I would know.
KYLE: I wanted to honor the memories of those who lost their lives in the fire. I lost four of my coworkers that day, four of my friends. They were truly some of the greatest people I’ve ever known.
ARCHER: There’s no question that it’s a tragedy. No question. Now let me ask you: why did you choose NewsNetwork 10? Did you feel more comfortable talking with the news team voted “Most Trusted News Team” in the Tri-County Shopper’s annual Readers’ Poll?
KELLY: “Most Trusted” three years in a row, Arch.
ARCHER: Ha ha. You won’t hear me bragging, Kelly. But Kyle, people are asking: “Why NewsNetwork 10?” Were you confident that only the NewsNetwork 10 team could present your story with the compassion it deserves? Were you as shocked and saddened as the rest of us by the insensitive remarks ActionCenter NBC8 anchor Curt Custer made about the Arby’s tragedy on last Tuesday’s newscast?
KYLE: Uh, I don’t know. The fact is, some good people died that night, Archer. I don’t want the world to forget that.
ARCHER: Without a doubt. Some folks are calling you a hero, Kyle. Is that a word you’d use to describe yourself? A lot of people want to call me a hero for being first on the scene with late breaking news as it happens, in real time. But the way I see it, I’m just a simple newsman doing my job. How about you, though? Are you a hero?
KYLE: Well, I don’t know about “hero.” I just did what seemed right at the time. I knew that there were people in danger and I was really just acting on instinct.
ARCHER: Exactly. It’s like I said, I’m no hero either. Just a simple newsman. Doing my job.
KYLE: Am I supposed to…
ARCHER: Let me take you back to that night, Kyle. You step out of the walk-in cooler and the Arby’s is filled with clouds of thick black smoke. People are screaming; they’re panicking. Without thinking, you grab Theresa Duntz and race for the exit. Flames are licking at your dirty Arby’s shoes, burning embers are falling onto the shoulders of your threadbare Arby’s uniform, the heat is unimaginable. In the midst of all that chaos, did it ever cross your mind, even for a moment, that you’d be on TV talking to NewsNetwork 10’s Archer Sterling just six days later?
KYLE: Um, I didn’t…I wasn’t really thinking about any of that, I guess.
ARCHER: From the night shift at Arby’s to this. A simple guy like you. It’s an incredible story. And as a testament to your valiant bravery in the face of extreme peril without any regard for your own personal safety, we’d like to invite you to stick around and introduce the NewsNetwork 10 “Perfect 10” Pet Corner Pet Photo of the Week.
KYLE: Okay.
ARCHER: Thank you, Kyle. When we return, we’ll get a visit from the cat that many are calling…a hero. It’s a story you’ll only see on NewsNetwork 10: Where more people get the news that matters, first. Updates every hour, and traffic and weather on the…do you want to do it, Kyle?
KYLE: 5s and 9s.
ARCHER: Ha ha. We’ll be back with traffic and weather on the 5s and 9s.
posted by Nathan at 8:29 AM
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