A Journey Worth Taking

Some times in radio you get the privilege of a good hard nudge. You think you've written something that you are sure can never be better and then your editor rejects what you know is your masterpiece.

This happened to me recently, before I did the Prime Time Focus' weekender piece entitled Eva And Me, the story of the nurse who saved my life when I was a baby. Instead of the five minute version with Eva's voice that now is on the air, I at first happily turned in a shorter piece expressing my gratitude and called it a day. "You can do a better. This is an important story. " was the prodding reply. "Go see her, interview her, and then tell the story."

I only suspected then that I was afraid to drive to Erie where Eva lives a second time. My first visit several years ago with her - the first time I met her as an adult - was so loaded with mystery, so magical in its intensity for both of us, going back seemed scary somehow. Some how I knew our visit this second time would be more real and ordinary - two strangers caught together in one unbelievable act: one person saved the other's life. Now what?

But that second trip has meant everything to me. Without facing the fact that we really don't know each other and yet we are close, I wouldn't have started writing Eva weekly letters, something I wish I had done years ago. In some small way I am finally giving back to her now. Who would have thought a returned script could have accomplished so much.

My thanks to AARP's radio manager Janelle Haskell whose little nudge accomplished so much. I hope you like the resulting story and hearing Eva Nungesser's voice. The full interview I did will be mine forever. A new treasure along with Eva's letters which come to me when she is well enough to write.

Listen to the piece at Prime Time Focus