I do not allow anyone to enter my living room. This applies to both strangers and people watching TV. As a result, when I watch newscasts, I develop a connection with the people who are on it. It’s a first-name basis thing. “Oh, there are Megan, Howard, Maggie, Byron Melanie, Faith and David –” well, you get the idea. Television is a temporary profession. After you graduate college, your first job is at a small food market. From there, you work your way up to the top of the food chain. Jackson isn’t a large market, but it’s not a small one. There are two types of TV anchors. There are two types of anchors on TV: those who call Jackson home or have been there for a while, and those who want to win a larger prize. You might not get to meet a weekend meteorologist. In six to twelve months, he or she may move to another market. After a visit to Greenville, Mike Sands traveled from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to come to us. They were paired with Faith Payne, a talented actress and singer. I would see them when I tuned in to Fox40’s 9 p.m. news. Mike was always friendly and did a great job. He was then faced with the fight of his life. He was diagnosed at 27 with liposarcoma. This is a deadly form of cancer that has kept him fighting since. Mike was the only person I’ve ever met in person. He appeared on my radio program. He was fighting cancer recurrences and our studio didn’t have enough space to accommodate his will to live. I can’t describe it. It was as strong and optimistic as Mike Sands appears on television and social media. But it was more powerful in person._x000D
He is the one you can’t help but love. After all, he’s the cheerful person who walks into your living space every night. Fox40 is also owned by WLBT, whose parent company also owns Fox40. I found this video very moving. His cancer is still spreading despite the fact that chemo has not stopped it. As a last resort, he is returning home to Philadelphia to undergo immunotherapy. Mike was weak but not too exhausted. Faith Payne tried to be strong too. This is also hard for her.
As a cancer survivor I watched as a strong man lived my worst nightmare. The light from Mike’s last strength and my phone lit up the darkness. Part of me feels like, “Dammit! This isn’t fair.” I prayed. Part of me believes that Mike’s sacrifice is a way we can all honor his fight. It is possible to live our lives with the same passion and strength as Mike. Our lives are not the same place that TV people go. It’s a great thing Mike Sands came to our house. His example is an inspiration for all of us to live passionate lives.
I hope that the immunotherapy works and Mike receives his well-deserved miracle. He will be able to return to our living rooms soon.