What it's like covering the coronavirus

COVID-19. Coronavirus. Social distancing. Welcome to the new normal (for now). I and many others across the state of Arizona are transitioning to a new way of life. Living rooms are now offices, solitary walks around the neighborhood are daily workouts and Zoom meetings are a popular tool for social interaction.

The pandemic has taken hold of the globe's attention and the world watches and scrolls for updates on the fight against COVID-19.

And I am one of those who have the privilege to provide an essential service as a journalist to help keep my community informed during this tumultuous time.

It's an honor to be able to be of service during this time and I will remember this moment for as long as I live. We transitioned to a work-from-home environment and the dynamic of news gathering is adapting to our new environment. Many newsrooms are relatively empty, but the news is far from gone. People like me get up every morning and roll up to our computers and begin checking for updates. My day is filled with checking emails, interacting with co-workers on Zoom, speaking with sources and developing content.

It comes in many forms in today's news-consumption landscape. From articles and videos to social graphics and tweets, I help share information on the coronavirus and tell the story of those affected by the outbreak, Not all of it is bad; for every article about the rising case numbers or updated social distancing requirements, there are those moments of hope. Stories about neighbors helping neighbors and kids sharing positive chalk-written messages help balance the intense reality we're currently living.

So for now, I’ll continue to cover this unprecedented event with pride and a great sense of duty. For as long as it takes.

And for everyone reading this, be sure to continue to wash your hands, keep your (social) distance and stay positive. As the great Harvey Dent said, “It’s always darkest before the dawn."

WATCH: COVERING THE CORONAVIRUS | HAVE A SEAT

I can be your 'Unsung' hero, baby

This June, I had the honor of being a recipient of TEGNA’s Unsung Hero Award. The company each year highlights and honors exemplary employees from stations across the company.

My boss nominated me this year and the committee selected me as one of the honorees.

When I heard the news, I was honored and humbled to be considered. My nomination is definitely a team effort. From my incredible co-workers to my amazing family and friends, my success is only possible with their help.

As a person with a disability, inclusion in the workplace is an important goal for me and 12 News has given me the accommodations and opportunities to succeed a thrive in the newsroom.

To learn more about my award, watch the latest episode of my vlog, “Have a Seat.”

Throwback Thursday: My visit home for the holidays

For Throwback Thursday, I have a special video. Here's an old story that was done by 12 News in 1997 about my Christmas visit home while I was in the hospital.

21 years later, I work for that same station.

Here's the package they ran.

That moment when I photobombed Jen Wahl on live TV

My desk in the newsroom is at our Hot Spot, near our assignment desk, a.k.a. the "Live Alert Center."

Sometimes our reporters will do a live shot from our newsroom during a broadcast. 

And as you can imagine, the shot provides a perfect opportunity to photobomb. 

In this moment, Jen Wahl was doing her live shot when I accidentally peered my head out from behind my computer screen. 

Now my forehead had its 15 seconds of fame. 

We can be heroes

Mark and I during his hospital visit.

We all had our idols growing up. Whether it was your freshman English teacher who always challenged you to follow your dreams or your favorite baseball player who always left you in awe, idols can be all around us. 

For me, one of my most memorable idols lived on my television. 

When I became sick and spent several months in the hospital, I didn't know what my future held. I was 14-years-old and had to learn how to move my arms and breathe all over again. Seeing tomorrow quickly became my daily goal and thinking about life outside of the hospital was more dream than reality. 

While I put my education on hold, I still thought about what my life would be like after college. I had some ideas on what I wanted to do as a career, but a fateful encounter in my hospital room changed my life forever. 

During my hospital stay, I started writing about my hospital experience. I wanted to share my thoughts and insight into my life-changing ordeal and hoped it would help someone in similar circumstances. 

It didn't take long for me to develop a love for writing and at that point I knew I wanted to pursue writing as a career. Since the staff knew I enjoyed writing and had a love for sports, they decided to send a special visitor my way. 

12News' Mark Curtis. 

When I was in the rehabilitation center, Curtis was volunteering at the hospital and the staff arranged for me to meet the then sportscaster. 

To say I was excited would be an understatement. I had spent years watching him on television and the chance to meet him in person would be amazing. 

For a few moments, I wasn't a scared kid in a hospital. I was just an avid Arizona sports fan talking about my favorite teams with a new friend. Curtis and I chatted a few times before I was released and his time with me was a big reason why I pursued a career in sports journalism. 

After high school, I attended Arizona State University and earned a Bachelor's Degree in journalism. With my degree in hand, I set out to become the next great sports writer. But as life always does, it threw me a couple curve balls. 

Various job opportunities sent me into the world of marketing and social media. I enjoyed this line of work, but something always felt like it was missing. A few months ago, an opportunity crossed my path that I couldn't pass up. 

This past December, I stated my new position as Social Media Producer for 12 News. It's only been a few months, but I can safely say that this is where I was meant to be. It's an awesome feeling being able to get up and genuinely feel like you are doing what you were meant to do.

After years of trying, I've finally made it into the world of journalism. 

No, I haven't become the famous sports writer I dreamed about, but my journey is far from over. And the coolest part?

I get to work with the person who inspired me to become a journalist in the first place, Mark Curtis. When I first saw him, he was just a guy on television chatting about the Arizona Cardinals. Now he's a guy I can I can truly call a friend. 

Not many people get to say they work with their idols, and I'm privileged to be one of them. 

So what's the moral of this story?

We can all be heroes. Maybe not the kind that leaps tall buildings in a single bound, but the kind that donates their time and shows a boy that anything is possible. The kind that gives people, especially a thankful kid,  the inspiration to never give up and fight for your dreams, no matter what.