It's Nice to Have Fans...But Wow!

So as I often do, I try to connect with the people I meet on stories...After all, they're more than a story, they're people. Plus, who am I?

Anyway, I am often humbled when I meet others on the street, and on Monday it went to a whole new level.

To tell this story I have to back up to a cold night, on January 6th. The year was 2010, and Connan O'Brien was the host of The Late Show...remember that time? Wow..what memories..Alright, back to the point, a family had been held at gun point inside their own home that night. It was a breaking news story, I met with the victims, and they shared their story. A masked man tried to bust through their door waving a gun, the mom quickly and bravely pushed the door closed on the bad guy before her husband chased him off. (See that story here: http://bigcountryhomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=207151)

So that night I tell their story, as best as I can, and return for a live shot at 10. After wrapping the shot, I thank them for their time and share my relief that no one was hurt. At that time the mom asks me how old I am, (I get this a lot, because well I'm young) I answer 23. She then says, "I notice you don't have a ring on your finger, are you single?" Knowing that this question and more was coming, I braced myself and answered her. She then quickly turns to her 21 year old daughter and says, "Have you met my daughter?"

Don't get me wrong, I was flattered, but what am I supposed to do? I politely wave, thank her for her time, and say I better leave.

Fast forward to the present.

The same family gets targeted again, this time having four shots fired at their home. Everyone is okay, but scarred. So I return, to get the story. (See that story here: http://bigcountryhomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=214952)

This time in the small talk, they tell me they've been following me ever since I first came out to their house. Wow! I'm honored. I don't always think of myself as having a following beyond my Mom and a few people at church. The mom then tells me they have a running joke at their home, when I come on, the 21 year old says "Is that my boyfriend on TV?" and the younger daughter asks, "Is that the cute one, reporting?"

I had no clue, but I had become the target of fan-dom affection. I now have reached the once unattainable level with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, now Tim Johnston...RIGHT? (stop making fun of me) Okay, I know I'm not with them, but close.

So, again, I blush and thank them for the compliments and then laugh it off and leave. I was honored, humbled, and even shocked to learn I had "adoring" fans...but seriously what was I supposed to do?

By the way, a thank you goes out to this family, they really did impress me with the nice thoughts. I'm not trying to mock or embarrass anyone, I just found this all too funny and wanted to share it.