A Moment In Manchester

“When I was a boy & I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me…”Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” -Fred Rogers

It’s the morning after of the attack in Manchester. Last night work was abuzz with feeds, pictures, press conferences and phone calls. “Was it just balloons popping?” “Was it an attack?” “What are we hearing?” Then… the unraveling of the knot of questions as answers began to trickle in. Our hearts sank. While I don’t directly cover international news, we all know the news in cities across the world effects everyone. An attack on innocent people is an attack on all humanity. It is the stories after the unthinkable… threading its way into my work email… that reminds me why I do what I do. The hope. The helping. The community. The coming together. Those are the stories that need to be told too. The quote at the top is from Fred Rogers. I used to watch Mr. Rogers Neighborhood as a child. Some of those people at Manchester Arena were kids. Their innocence and lives changed in an ugly act of violence. I pray they’re able to take the beauty away from the acts of kindness they witness in the days to come. Those are the stories I like to tell. The stars that are seen in the darkness. The people who are helping.