Just a couple months ago on Thanksgiving morning, the family was busy making pies, peeling potatoes and basting turkeys; when I heard the familiar text message sound from my phone. "KSL.com page Two" was all she sent. KSL is an NBC-affiliated television/media station located in Salt Lake City, Utah. We dropped everything to read this KSL article written by my talented friend Michelle. It was such a joy to read words written about Jocie, especially on Thanksgiving Day. My heart burst with gratitude for Jocie's life and legacy.
But you can just imagine our surprise and (dare I say) fright when I received a phone call from KSL just a few weeks ago. Would Dean and I consent to our story being brought to video form and broadcast on KSL's Studio 5 program? I had been out shopping and somehow during the phone call I exited the store, slipped on ice, fell, dropped my phone cracking the screen, and said yes!
The first Monday in February brought a senior KSL producer and her video technician to our home. Irinna had previously sent a list of questions that she would be asking us during the interview process to help us prepare. Many of the questions were difficult, extremely difficult...tell us about Jocie, how does she complete your family. Tell us about the details of the day of the accident. Tell us what it is like to lose a child...then and now.
What is it like to lose a child...there isn't a single day that I wish we were still innocent of this knowledge. Unless you find yourself in this horrible, awful, no good club...it's nearly impossible to know. And it crushes me every time I hear of another parent losing their own innocence. With tears in her eyes, Irinna listened to the details she graciously pushed us to recount. This would be the first time Dean and I had openly discussed together...what exactly happened that March day nearly five years ago.
After an exhausting interview filming session, we breathed a sigh of relief and Thompson the video guru began shooting various footage in my craft room,
and Jiggystick World Headquarters.
This was the easy part, talking about jiggysticks and actually making a batch while the video was recording.
After about 2 1/2 hours they packed up their gear and left. Irinna asked if we considered ourselves an inspiration. We both emphatically exclaimed "NO"! However, if because of this interview there is one person somewhere, engaged in fighting a similar battle...watching us breath, stand upright, smile, and even laugh...then this segment will be absolutely worth it.
While I know our little video surely is not a blockbuster with a cliffhanger ending. If after all the footage is edited and most of it on the cutting room floor, you would like to watch us...the segment is scheduled to air on KSL Studio 5 Wednesday Feb 20th, sometime between 11:00 am and 12:00 noon (mountain standard time). You can click on the "Watch It Live" button on their site and watch it from KSL Studio 5's website if you don't live within KSL's broadcast range to watch it on TV.
