Ordinary People Thrust Into Extraordinary Circumstances October 25, 2007

Greg Cergol, Long Island Reporter

Ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

We see it all the time in the news business. And we saw it again this week at the White House.

Dan and Maureen Murphy stood atop a platform in the East Room – the president at the their side, the vice president seated in front of them. They were surrounded by a room filled with dignitaries- members of Congress, heroes from wars past, judges, firefighters and of course a throng of television and newspaper photographers, recording their every word, their every movement.

The couple had left their quiet life in Patchogue to honor the son they lost in June 2005. Navy Lt. Michael Murphy was killed in the mountains of Afghanistan and for the heroism he displayed that day, his parents were receiving the Medal of Honor.

It was obvious from their words and facial expressions that this wasn’t easy. Yes, they were proud of their son and honored to have his name added to the list of those handed the nation’s highest military award. But there was no escaping the fact that Michael was gone – a 29-year-old with his whole life ahead of him; an “All-American” boy – bright, passionate; a big brother to John; a true leader of men. To describe it all as bittersweet, as Mr. Murphy did, is an understatement.

Ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

The spotlight, whenever it shines on you, can be harsh and unforgiving. Just ask the myriad of “celebrities” who have wilted under its glare. Frank Sinatra once said, “You want the fame, baby, but you pay a price.” The Murphy family, obviously, didn’t ask for notoriety, didn’t want it in any way, shape or form. They didn’t have press agents to prepare them or public relations people to run interference for them. They stood alone before the media and the nation and handled the most difficult of experiences with grace and class. They even answered questions about the unpopular war that claimed their son in a straightforward manner, with unflinching honesty.

I found myself wondering why more of us can’t handle difficult situations like the Murphy family. With all that they have faced, there was much reason for anger, frustration and loud voices raised in angry indignation. But they pointed us toward a different path – a far less contentious one – filled with honest debate rather than unyielding pontificating. Their son would have been proud.

Paul Smith: Family Man, Chopper Pilot October 9, 2007

Dan Rice, Chopper 4

“You don’t ever want to become the story!”

It’s a saying I often heard repeated from the safety director of Helicopters, Inc., Paul Smith.

Unfortunately, he was the story Sunday night. The chopper community, and I, lost a dear friend that night.

Paul, his wife Donna and family friends were outside of Dock’s Oyster Bar on 40th Street and Third Avenue wrapping up a night of celebration when an out-of-control taxi took his life and seriously injured his wife, along with a 7-year-old child.

In addition to being the company safety director, Paul was my wife’s pilot in NewsCopter 7. Words cannot begin to describe the shock and utter disbelief of this event. Normally I have no problem writing these blogs. This time I am struggling emotionally. I usually do not have a personal interest in the stories I cover.

All of us were so deeply saddened by the event.

Helicopters, Inc., the company that operates all of the choppers for ALL of the broadcast stations in New York City, grounded the fleet yesterday, fearing lack of sleep and overwhelming emotions may cloud some people’s judgment. I do not remember that ever happening here before.

I have written blogs before about what a tightly knit community we are. Paul was not only a pilot for WABC-TV, he was the guy in charge of keeping all of the station’s choppers staffed and operating, along with the chopper of our sister station in Philadelphia, WCAU.

As I mentioned before, he was the safety director for the chopper company and traveled the country making sure all of the bases were operating safely. Just last month he was at WNBC talking to management and our assignment desk about safety and protocol in light of the crash in Arizona. Safety was something that he was both passionate and adamant about! That’s why I liked to work with him. That, plus he was a fun person to work with.

When you work with someone for many years, you create a very personal bond. Pilot Lars Andresen and I have flown together for close to eight years now. We are at a point where all I tell him is where to go.

Once there, he knows every move I am going to make with the camera and what angles I want … all without saying a word.

My wife, Shannon Sohn, and Paul had flown together for 10 years. It is only natural they had an even closer bond, more like a father and daughter.

At times (more than I care to acknowledge), Shannon would complain to Paul about things I did or (usually) did not do. He would come in the next morning and start telling me how mad Shannon was at me and that I better get my act together. He knew that would always lead to me defending myself and telling him how wrong Shannon was.

Armed with that knowledge, he would go to Shannon that afternoon and defend me and tell her where she was wrong. That would lead to Shannon coming home at night ready to argue with me, which would end the next morning with me coming to work and looking at Paul and saying, “Thanks, Paul!”

He would just start laughing and end with grin, saying , “You’re Welcome.” Trust me, the first chance I ever had to get him back, I would. And he would laugh just as hard when he was had.

Beyond work, he was more than a friend to Shannon and me. That is something that everyone echoed in the various interviews that were done yesterday. Not only were we friends with the Smiths, they treated us like family!

Just last summer we were over their house celebrating their youngest son Cale’s graduation from college. As we arrived with our little ones, Paul and Donna’s relatives hugged and kissed Shannon and warmly greeted me like we, too, were related.

Sure, some of the relatives and other guests had met us before, but it was clear to me that Paul would brag about Shannon and all that she had done, much like a father would of a daughter.

When his other son Corey started dating his girlfriend, they all sought Shannon’s approval. Not that it would have stopped him from dating her. However, if she did not think the girl was good enough for him, Shannon would hound and hound both Corey and Paul to find somebody better, like a sister would do to her brother.

Luckily, Shannon loves Meredith!

Then, over the summer, Paul celebrated his 60th birthday by going to Costa Rica with his family and friends. We were asked to go but could not because we already had another vacation planned. If we had only known what was about to happen.

Both Shannon and John Del Giorno made this point yesterday. Paul saw all of us go from 26ish-year-old kids with not a care in the world to responsible adults with families of our own. Along the way he taught us not only about aviation and the respect we need to show the machines we work with, but also how to enjoy what we have. The lesson: Treat everyone like family and have as much fun as you can.

Shannon and I saw Paul’s family last night. His wife suffered several broken bones in the accident and has a long road ahead to recover from her physical injuries. With all that she has gone through, she was still able to crack a few jokes and chuckle — like the Donna we know.

Corey and Cale are constantly by their mother’s side, doing all they can for her. They are two remarkable boys that learned well from their father. Surrounding all of them, not surprisingly, was their family and friends. Paul would have been proud!

Godspeed, Paul. You will not soon be forgotten, but you will be greatly missed.

There’s A Verdict: Run! October 4, 2007

Sarah Lynch, WNBC Intern

What’s a fifteen letter word for “Colorful bed cover?”

If you guessed “PATCHWORKQUILT,” then you should have joined me on Tuesday in Federal Court, where I learned several things.

I learned that I am terrible at crossword puzzles. More importantly, I learned how intense the action gets covering a court case once the verdict comes in.

After three weeks of hearing testimonies in this sexual harassment case, the jury ruled against New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden. The plaintiff Anucha Browne Sanders was awarded a total of $11.6 million in punitive damages. Browne Sanders left the courtroom with a multi-million dollar smile—literally. Thomas left claiming innocence and saying he would appeal. I left with a boatload of experience.

After three days of waiting for the verdict—a task that included a bit of lounging and light reading—the hubbub of news took flight Tuesday afternoon. It was exciting, it was chaotic, and it was right in the middle of lunch.

“There’s a verdict,” the court clerk told me just after I cracked open my Coke. That was my cue to race back upstairs. I had already stretched out my legs, warmed up my muscles, to prepare for my role as a “runner.”

Reporters bolted out of the elevator; running to phones, scribbling on notepads, and zipping back into the courtroom to hear the latest. Like the rest of the herd, I found myself in a mad dash to the phone, nearly knocking over a fellow sprinter, but only by accident. I held down the fort at the nearest phone, and reported back to the station in anticipation of the verdict we’d been waiting days for.

The jury ruled Thomas sexually harassed Browne Sanders, and that Browne Sanders was fired from her executive job at MSG as a result of filing a complaint.

Browne Sanders was awarded $6 million for her hostile work environment claim, $2.6 million for the MSG retaliation claim, and another $3 million against James Dolan for the retaliation claim.

And she’s not done collecting money from MSG. The judge still has to award compensatory damages for wages lost as a result of her firing. It has not been determined yet how much money Browne Sanders will receive in compensation, but her attorney, Anne Vladeck, is seeking $10 million. She’ll get a lump sum that makes you wonder—what does one do with all that money?

I think I would invest in a crossword puzzle coach. But until then, I’ll just have to hope that one of tomorrow’s clues will be “Awarded 11.6 mil.” That way I’ll get at least one answer right. It’s “ANUCHABROWNESANDERS.”

Click here to view more trial images.

Isiah Thomas Not Sweating Jury Deliberations October 1, 2007

Sarah Lynch, WNBC Intern

“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all small stuff” was an ironic book to read when it wasn’t “small stuff” that was at stake in downtown Manhattan on Friday.

There was $10 million and the reputation of Madison Square Garden and Knicks’ boss Isiah Thomas at stake. Good reasons to sweat if you ask me.

Reporters and onlookers of various sorts sat in Federal Court Friday clenching books, ruffling newspapers, and occasionally shifting from one seat to the next—all waiting for a verdict that never came.

After three weeks of testimonials, the jury deliberated yesterday on whether or not Isiah Thomas created a hostile working environment for former executive Anucha Browne Sanders, and whether or not Madison Square Garden fired her as a result of her complaint.

In this ongoing sexual harassment case, Thomas and lawyers for the Garden are arguing in defense that Browne Sanders made up the claim.

It was my job to be “a runner”—to wait in the courtroom with the day’s edition of The New York Times (which for the first time in my life, I had time to read in its entirety) and report back to the station when the judge announced there was a verdict. I went to court in my sneaks and observed the characters that gave life to the courtroom.

So, who do you think would be more nervous—Thomas or Browne Sanders?

I joined Browne Sanders for lunch—well, from two tables away—where I noticed her nervously fingering a silver ring on her right ring finger. She switched her attention to a bunch of grape stems, picking the pieces apart until they all lay broken on her Styrofoam tray. At times, Browne Sanders seemed absent. She would stare into space, look down for moments at a time, then blink her way back into reality.

But it wasn’t all nerves for Browne Sanders. She did share some laughs with her two sisters, who joined her for lunch. Reporters, lawyers, and family members gathered at nearby tables, conversing over bags of Lays and doing what they’d been doing all morning, and would be doing all afternoon—playing the waiting game.

Thomas seemed looser throughout the day. He was all smiles in the courtroom. Isiah joked and laughed with his surrounding posse. It often seemed more like a social gathering for Thomas than a trial with so much at stake. But was it all just a front?

I guess we’ll just have to wait until the jury reconvenes on Monday. But for now, everyone will have to keep sweating—or read books that tell us not to.