My little buddy Karter died this morning. He had DIPG, an aggressive & inoperable brain cancer.
Karter taught me a lot. He wanted to share his journey & raise awareness for DIPG. I feel lucky to have a played a small part with that.
Bye for now, buddy.💙🧡
Today I turn 27.
I have my dream job, moved back to
#yeg
, have the most supportive partner, adopted the sweetest kitten, & was reminded this weekend how many wonderful people are in my life.
The last 2 years haven’t been easy & full of changes. It feels good to be happy, again.💛
I grew up a competitive hip-hop dancer in the 2000s.
This lived, & continues to live, rent free in my mind.
This & so many other tWitch moments like this inspired a generation to get up & dance.
This is how I’ll remember tWitch.
🫶🏼
I won’t bury the lede: I’m okay.
Thank you to everyone who has reached, my cameraman
@Stmcclune
for being there for me, &
@NahremanIssaCTV
for being an absolute pro (as usual).
Imagine one of your most vulnerable moments happening while you’re reporting on live tv.
Imagine that moment gets clipped & shared thousands of times.
That opens you up to a lot of commentary & rumours being spread.
And all of it is out of your control.
1/6
My boyfriend got stopped four times at the
@EdmontonOilers
game by people telling him he looks like Kailer Yamamoto.
Including the 6-year-old sitting behind us.
"I'm here live. I'm not a cat."
A lawyer logged into the 394th Judicial District with a cat filter on and couldn't turn it off.
This may be the funniest video I've seen this year.
Good morning
#yeg
from the SE Valley Line LRT to Mill Woods.
Complete with cake, coffee, pins & a playlist featuring “Don’t Stop Believing” & “Crazy Train.”
I’ll have the full story on the first LRT ride to Mill Woods tonight at 6 on
@ctvedmonton
.
Today I caught up with my buddy Karter. He’s fighting DIPG, an aggressive & inoperable brain tumour that has a 10% survival rate.
Karter insisted I hold him so you can’t tell, but I’m wearing a special Oilers jersey with Karter’s picture on it.
His story:
Hundreds of people marching down Jasper Ave for National Red Dress Day in
#yeg
. Chants of, “No more stolen sisters,” “no more stolen brothers,” and “no more genocide,” are heard down the street.
Over half my career in journalism has been during the pandemic. I’ve interviewed tired doctors & people who lost loved ones to COVID-19, tracked cases on spreadsheets, lost a family member of my own, and listened to Dr. Hinshaw almost everyday.
Today is a good day 💉
#vaxxed
I was at the Oilers game where the world first met Ben, the Scotiabank Skater.
Like so many I followed his fight on & off the ice.
Today I met Ben’s parents (
@m_dan25
). They have news for anyone wanting to help carry on Ben’s legacy.
I’ll have details later on
@ctvedmonton
.
I never thought I’d be at Cook County Saloon before noon on a Saturday, but here we are.
And man, is it fun.
Ukrainian newcomers have taken over the bars kitchen. They’re making homestyle dishes to sell through the Free Store for Ukrainian Newcomers.
I’m okay. Medically & physically.
And frankly, I plan to leave the explanation there.
My medical history is just that. Mine.
Mine to choose to share, & mine to keep to myself.
4/6
I’ll be off of Twitter for the next little bit.
If you can imagine, this has all been a bit overwhelming.
To put it lightly.
Thank you to my coworkers & managers for everything so far. I’m really lucky to have them as a support system.
5/6
Today is my last day
@GlobalEdmonton
And that feels so weird to say. It’s really hard to leave a workplace that you love.
I know that ✨the best is yet to come✨ and I truly can’t wait for it.
But before I go, I wanted to share some of my favourite stories:
Today is my last day at
@GlobalLeth
. I came here 10 months ago & it’s hard to believe my time is over. Lethbridge, you were exactly what I needed, when I needed it most, in ways you’ll never know. Thank you for trusting me with your stories & welcoming me into your homes (1/6)
Currently in that super fun phase of “done school and don’t know what to do with my life so I sit at home and contemplate every life decision.”
One of my tables last night asked me if I was a stand up comedian.
Back to the drawing board ladies and gents.
To everyone who has reached out with well wishes and concerns, I see you. Thank you.
It’s been overwhelming & while I can’t get to all the messages, please know I’ve seen them & appreciate every single one from the bottom of my heart.
Our viewers are the best.
2/6
Tune in at 6 to meet the adorable
@bunsenbernerbmd
& their smart human,
@ZedScience
, as they work to stop the spread of COVID-19 (and the misinformation surrounding it)
2021 has been rough. But for me, professionally, there’s also been a lot of good.
I made it back to my home city as a reporter, got nominated for my first RTDNA with my first feature, & had a story I poured my heart into trend nationally. I can’t wait to see what 2022 brings✨
Today was my first time at
@BoyleStreet
.
It’s so different seeing first hand how a warm meal changes someone’s day, or how excited a group of young girls were to be helping & talking with community members.
I hope my story tonight makes you feel even a little bit of how I felt.
Today marks my 1 year at
@GlobalEdmonton
& I still can’t wrap my head around that. I grew up dreaming of working in this newsroom & watched it every night as a kid. Working alongside so many established & talented people is amazing. But, this year has also been really hard (1/?)
Thousands of perogies, cabbage rolls, & borscht.
Handmade by a team of Ukrainian newcomers in the kitchen of a country bar.
Cook County Saloon has never served borscht.
Many of the newcomers have never seen a cowboy.
What a fun morning.
My second history lesson of the morning on the
@EdmontonOilers
from a man who has watched more than 3,500 Oilers games. He even let me crash his tee time, just to talk hockey with a rookie.
I think I have a new favourite Phillips. Sorry,
@QJPhillips
.
It’s a big day for Alberta politics.
My contribution to the coverage at
@ctvedmonton
is an exclusive with the very first Alberta Legislature cat, Hansard.
The first interview to both run away from me & attack my shoes.
#ableg
#abpoli
#ablegcat
@NathanCooperAB
Journalism is so important. The work done in newsrooms every day is nothing short of incredible. I wish more people could experience it.
Making cuts to an industry that’s already suffering & understaffed means even more important stories & voices will be lost.
This isn’t good.
I first met Janice when I was in university & she came in to talk to our class.
I've been in awe of her & her work ever since. To say Janice is an Edmonton legend doesn't feel like enough.
Condolences to her family, friends &
@CBCEdmonton
.
Today I hit 100 Skype, Zoom, Google Hangout, Facebook Messenger interviews. It’s been weird talking to people through a screen & it’s definitely been a learning curve. Luckily, I can now add troubleshooter to my skill set 🙃
This IKEA bed frame quickly became the bane of my existence. Called Made by Brad in
#yeg
this morning & he was over within hours to help. Only took him an hour to fix my mistake & build it!
Brad has autism. He can’t speak or read, but can understand any diagram or blueprint.
#yeg
There’s also a lot of not so nice messages. I won’t go into details, but I’m sure it’s not hard to imagine what’s being written.
Publicly & privately.
I’ll leave it at that.
3/6
NEW: Saskatchewan RCMP confirm 10 people died in 13 locations in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, SK. 15 people have been transported to different hospitals. They believe there are more.
#yxe
This is 15-month-old Ainsley.
She's in Edmonton fighting for life after becoming sick with 3 respiratory viruses.
“She’s come a long way in the last week and a half, she’s definitely a fighter.”
This is a video her mom sent me after our interview.
Yesterday marked one year since I left Lethbridge, packed up my car with all my things for the fourth time in 14 months & moved back to
#yeg
for a job with
@ctvedmonton
.
What a year it’s been.
I’m so happy to be home.
I love this job & this city.
Thanks for 365 days of stories.💙
I haven’t been in the industry long, but apparently long enough for a stranger to come to my house, bang on my door & yell for “the news lady.”
I was home alone. It was terrifying.
That’s the first & only time it’s happened to me.
But that’s one too many times.
Hey folks, you don’t like an article? By all means criticize it.
You are not entitled to contact journalists and threaten physical harm, surveillance, and non-judicial trials. Sexual and gendered slurs aren’t a critique.
I am seeing this happen industry wide and it’s concerning
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, as protesters started coming to news stations.
I started in the industry in June 2019 fresh out of school.
The pandemic started later that year.
Almost my entire career as a journalist has been during the pandemic.
And it’s scary.🧵
I haven’t been in the industry long, but apparently long enough for a stranger to come to my house, bang on my door & yell for “the news lady.”
I was home alone. It was terrifying.
That’s the first & only time it’s happened to me.
But that’s one too many times.
On Saturday I woke up before sunrise to join hundreds of excited Edmontonians on the first Valley Line SE LRT ride.
And, what a ride it was.
Cake, cookies, music & pins.
My story on what one man called 'the most Edmonton experience I've ever had.’
#yeg
Some ✨news✨...
Surprise! I moved!
Nice to meet you
#YQL
. If you see a small girl carrying around lots of camera gear & looking very confused...that’s probably me.
The
@LOTAirlinesUS
plane was donated to
@LukaszukAB
, Ed Stelmach, & the Canadian Polish Historical Society's collection of humanitarian aid to send to Ukraine.
It will now be landing in
#yeg
with Ukrainians, and bringing the donated supplies back to Ukraine. (3/3)
Asked my mom to be my JUNOS date:
She had other plans.
Luckily, I won.
Or, I guess the JUNOS won.
Doesn’t matter.
Thrilled to share this night with Mrs. Popular.
🫶🏼
Setting up an interview with a 100-year-old woman today:
Me: “Have you ever done a TV interview before?”
Her: “Well gosh no. I’ve waited 100 years for my moment!”
Surprise! It’s been a welcome back week of snow & ice in the city that I apparently can’t get enough of.
#YEG
, you’re so special to me. I’m thrilled to be back & can’t wait to tell your stories.
My DM’s are open & email is in my bio. I can’t wait to see everyone.
@ctvedmonton
Pretty busy morning at West Edmonton Mall.
Santa’s been kidnapped!
Luckily, there’s a room full of kids who have identified the prime suspect, & with the help of the
@edmpolicefdn
plan to save Christmas.
@ctvedmonton
Most here speak very little English. Nataliia came to Edmonton this summer with her two kids. She gave birth to twins a month later.
She’s unable to get a job, so this is how she’ll make money to support her family.
But I’m not tired enough to stop doing what I love.
I’ve grown a thick skin and everyday it gets easier to ignore & look past.
Fact is, I know nothing else.
If you know a journalist, or anyone who works in news, give them a (COVID-19 friendly) hug. They probably need it.
-30-
I got to meet the lovely
@emilyljcave
today to talk about her book & how to live with grief while continuing to find joy.
I also got to meet the equally lovely Chester.
He did not join the interview but made sure his presence very, very known before we even started.
I’m back in Carmangay as the village is being evacuated due to a wildfire alert. It’s so windy I can’t open the door to my car.
@GlobalLeth
@GlobalCalgary
My first reporter shift
Also the day I learned first hand that I work with “comedians”
Footage of the moment my heart stopped when
@JenCrosby
called to tell me she had emailed my script for (fake) live hit in 2 minutes
I was wondering where Ben was during Fridays game.
The pride & joy of
#yeg
has hit the road! Just when you think Ben’s story can’t get any better/cuter/smile worthy/inspiring…the
@EdmontonOilers
& Stelter family find a way to keep spreading the joy.
Safe travels!
#GoOilersGo
🧡💙
I love my job. I love my job. I love my job.
Paws in the Pool is happening down at Westminster Pool today from 10-4. A minimum $10 donation to the Lethbridge Humane Society guarantees a wagging tail & one happy good boy.
#yql
#lethbridge
Consider this my official out of (the physical) office.
Feeling very lucky to be vaxxed x3 & that I started isolating as soon as symptoms started. More than anything it’s the personal defeat I’m feeling after managing to avoid the ‘Vid for 2+ years.
See you soon, outside world.
Are you ready for
#FatBearWeek
? Next week,
@KatmaiNPS
holds its annual competition so you can judge which chubby cubby takes this year's title. Pic of last year's winner: 435 Holly
#Alaska
The care home my 100-year-old great aunt lives in is restricting visitors (again) starting today. I went over last night to watch my story on TV with her because I don’t know when I’ll see her again.
She keeps me humble.
💛
Superintendent Darrel Robertson holds back tears as he addresses media about the 16-year-old McNally student who passed away yesterday after getting assaulted at school last week.
#yeg
At
#EdmontonPrideFest
a kid came over to me & took my mic. She was lost, could say only a few words & didn’t want to leave my side (or give up the mic).
A MASSIVE thank you to the kind stranger who saw & offered to watch my gear while security helped reunite the kid w/ mom.
#yeg
The red carpet is rolled out in Fort Macleod for the Ghostbusters: Afterlife premiere. Most of the movie was filmed in southern Alberta (!!), including Fort Macleod. Tickets were sold as part of a fundraiser for the Empress Theatre.
@ctvedmonton
doesn’t have an evening show tonight, but I promise you’ll want to tune in at 11:30 to catch all the details on how you can get your hands on your these delicious handmade perogies.
@NahremanIssaCTV
I can’t thank you enough for the last few days. You’ve always been nothing but caring, compassionate, & professional. This is just more proof of that.
I hope you get some rest & relaxation. ❤️
See you soon.
There’s a special someone missing from this
@EdmontonOilers
playoff run.
Did you know Joey Moss loved to sing & dance to La Bamba? Or, the Ice District Plaza is unofficially named the Moss Pit? He may not physically be in
#yeg
, but his spirit certainly is.
When I was 7 y/o I went to the library, took out books about cats (that I could barely read), wrote an essay, & called a family meeting to present my research in a duo-tang on why we should get one.
Today, we said goodbye to our kitty girl.
Months shy of turning 20.
What a run.
Today is a day I will never forget. Professors, students, and a newlywed couple are only some of the 176 lives lost that were lost on Flight 752. 63 Canadians. 27 Edmontonians. Hear their stories and remember their names
#yeg
NEW: Saskatchewan RCMP confirm Damien Sanderson has been found dead. He was found outside near a house that was being examined. At this point, his injuries don't appear to be self inflicted.
Myles Sanderson has not been found.
Also, ICYMI:
My story from yesterday on an Edmonton made horror film that premiered at Metro Cinema on Friday.
And the journey to get there, was part horror itself.
(If you watch until the end, you might even see a smiling face back on camera).
I talked with a family friend of the Stelter family before the procession started. He told me today would be a celebration of Ben’s life & legacy.
Based on what I saw this morning…it was exactly that.
“Teach me like I’m one of your 6-year-old students who doesn’t even know what a fret is, because honestly I learned that word on the way here.”
- Me, a 26-year-old showing up to her first guitar lesson.
RCMP escorted us along Highway 43 between Fox Creek & Little Smoky, which was closed yesterday due to a wildfire & smoke.
Both are still very much active today.
I’ll have the details on what we saw & learned tonight on
@ctvedmonton
.
*We left right after this video was taken*
📍home.
Taking some time off to spend with this old lady (15 years!!!!). She gave us quite a scare this week & we’re still not sure what’s next. Grateful to be here for a few more snuggles.
“Ben loved seeing himself on TV. This is all for Ben.”
@ashifmawji
shared some details about the procession happening Friday for people who want to say goodbye to Ben. We’ll fill you in on what to expect today on
@ctvedmonton
.
Leduc RCMP & the City of Leduc are announcing a new program “You Etch It, We Catch It.” The program will help match stolen catalytic converters with the rightful owners by engraving the last 8 digits of the VIN number. Anyone is can participate free of charge.
@ctvedmonton
This was a fun one.
@drdagly
,
@shazmamithani
&
@AntibioticDoc
knew me from setting up Zoom calls for
@JWongGlobalNews
Now, I'm the millennial that grilled them about social media
What would make this more fun? If Dr.Saxinger actually watches tonight at 6 (and so should you!)
“When the pandemic first started, I really saw people were so hungry for information:" Edmonton doctors gain social media following amid
#COVID
-19 pandemic.
#COVID
-19AB
#yeg
#COVID
I smiled all morning in an empty
@enmaxcentre
as Bill showed me his seat for the season & new
@WHLHurricanes
jersey.
I hope his story & the community spirit that made it all happen makes you smile half as much as I did today. |