"i always knew..."

i knew from the first time
i heard her
voice on the radio...

that
she had it

she had
whatever it took to
draw you in and make you
hold your breath
and
sit still for the next
leg of the journey,
chapter of the story,
segment of the report...

whether with
central american refugees or
stevie wonder in the press tent for
the release of his new album,
calming a child huddled  in his closet during
an inner city riot,
or listening to the heartache of a man in love,
living on death row....
she could make you
weep with
empathy, and clench your
fists in anguished
anger....

but that afternoon,
standing in the kitchen,
listening to a voice
i'd known since before she could talk,
i knew....

she was reporting
on a man who'd been given
hope
and then had it wrenched from
his heart
right in front of her

you could feel her pain
well up to meet
and match
his...
and I knew...she'd
found
not only her voice,
but her
mission,
purpose,
platform,
life's work....

i am her sister
and
i knew

i always knew
she would
be the
one to give a voice to
the voiceless,
stand up for those
who were
being held down,
beaten,
forgotten
maligned,
abused....

i knew...
i always knew...



Today, my brilliantly talented sister, Nancy Mullane, received the 2011 Edward R. Murrow National Broadcasters award today for her work as a bradcast journalist, with her This American Life broadcast titled, Life after Murder.  I always knew...