When you hear about horrific news and events going on, it's normal to go through a wide variety of emotions.
In a radio (or television) station, it's our (sometimes difficult) job to "hide" those emotions while delivering the story.
This holds not just for news people, but air personalities as well.
In my broadcasting career, I've had a few of those occasions.
The most well known is 9/11, as I've mentioned before.
The most difficult time was a few years ago, when I was working on a Morning Show in Pittsfield, MA.
My Co Host at the time, Sharon Steele, had gone on maternity leave, expecting her first child.
A couple of weeks after she left, she developed complications, and died...her unborn child (who doctors tried to save) also died a few days after that.
I found that out on a Friday morning after my show, and the following Monday, I had the unfortunate task of going on the air and announcing the news, making the next four hours a "tribute" to my former partner.
To this day, that was the most difficult day of my career.
That day would have been topped had I not had a day off.
Friday, December 14th, both my wife Nancy and I had the day off.
Nancy took off for most of the day to take care of errands, while I was puttering around working on a project.
Just because I'm not "on the job", doesn't mean I'm constantly keeping an eye on any and all breaking news stories, local, national, international.
I saw the initial reports about something in Newtown, CT.
It caught my eye in particular because, among my duties here, is to assist with news stories for several New England stations in our chain, including New Heven, CT, so I was somewhat familiar with Newtown.
After reading e-mails, looking at news web sites, Twitter and Facebook, as well as tuning into WGY, I also went to the TV.
As the day progressed, and we learned the total scope of what happened, I felt I was having a heart attack; my chest was pounding, I was breathing heavy, sweating, dizzy.
In short, I was having a big time old fashioned anxiety/panic attack.
Not just because of what was happening there, but because I could not get the picture of my grandsons out of my head.
While Zach is still in nursery school, he's close enough to kindergarten.
I found myself pulling away from time to time to collect myself, then went back for updates.
And I kept thinking about how I'd tell Nancy if she wasn't aware, knowing she'd react the same way.
That's why I have so much respect for everyone "on the job" that day who had to tell the story.
To be honest, I was expecting a call from work asking me to come in and help out, I actually gave thought to just coming in.
If I was here, I'm professional enough to do my job, but deep inside, if I was live on the air, you might have heard several words out of my mouth they don't let us say on the radio.
Needless to say, George Carlin would have been proud of me that day.
Now...a few days after the fact...let's just say Santa has come up with a few extra presents for some special little boys.
Mike Patrick
