Yes that’s Ellen (as we know her) – it’s nice to be so well known that you can go by one name isn’t it? Ah yes, fame – I could always be “Dr. Terrie” – that seems to be the thing now-a-days – like “Dr. Phil” or even “Judge Judy”. Ha.

But let’s get back to inspiration. Ellen has inspired me for the longest time. She has dared so much and yet has continued to be herself during all her rise to fame. She hasn’t let anything go to her head in any way. She’s still down to earth and open and honest. Something very rare in a celebrity today.

She went on the air when Oprah was still there – some pretty stiff competition I’d say.  But she was a different kind of celebrity than Oprah and I truly believe her love for entertainment is what made it appear to be more of a collaboration than a competition. Ellen is a comedian who has guests on her show whereas Oprah still had that reporter image, looking for/at a story. There’s plenty of room in this world for everyone and these two proved it. Ellen took that big brave step when she first went on and she persevered because she appeals to such a great group of people who love to laugh and live right along with her.

I’m inspired by her sense of humor and ability to let people know that she cares about them and this is the way she can bring a little light and sunshine into their lives every day.

But I’m more inspired by her openness and willingness to profess her being gay and risking a great deal by letting people know. But it hasn’t seemed to dampen her popularity at all – in fact her honesty and courage may have increased it. You always hear the phrase “the courage to stick to their convictions” but what does that really mean? I think Ellen has definitely proven what it means. She doesn’t hide behind pretenses – she wants to be herself and let her life be there for others to emulate or ignore -whichever they choose. But she believes in herself and the right to having your own sexuality and being able to express it without judgment. She stood up for that. She did not hide behind any cloak (or in the closet as they say). She risked her career to stand up for what she is and what she believe in. What more can you ask in a person.

Ellen lives as I’d like to live – in openness and honesty. And her humor and love for others is something that impresses me more than you can know. I want to be like Ellen when I grow up!

Terrie

Have you ever known someone who’s seemingly had a black cloud over them – or bad luck just follows them no matter where they go? If you didn’t know better, you could have said that about the Pavlats (Jack, Barbara and Suzanne). Within about a month their lives were completely turned around and not in a way that anyone would wish on their worst enemy. What happened to them in that short period of time would have turned lesser mortals into pessimistic, bitter and angry people. But not them! They tackled the problems at hand with their usual positive attitude and the usual question – “Ok so what can we do about it now?”.

Within that short period of time, Jack had been in the hospital having surgery for colon cancer (in fact, he was in the hospital when they told him that his daughter, Suzanne, had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma), Suzanne was diagnosed, and then Barbara was also diagnosed with cancer. How much more can the odds be stacked against one family?

I met this family in a way that only the Universe can orchestrate and I will be forever grateful. Suzanne became the Wind Beneath My Wings and is my inspiration for everything I do (especially the non-profit organization I want to develop).  Every time I saw them they were filled with gratitude and the smiles across all their faces were the broadest smiles you could ever imagine. How they did it, I never knew. Because it always seemed as if the odds were against them. But they never let that show. They always maintained the positive “it could be worse”  or “it’s going to get better” attitude that you only see (and know is sincere) in people you consider Saints. And I have to tell you that I think that these three people qualify for saint hood in my opinion.

I was fortunate enough to get to visit St Jude Children’s Research Hospital during a weekend when the country DJs from all around the country were there for their annual workshop. So I got to see everything they did. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that. And Jack, Barbara and Suzanne were there because they were part of the panel of patients/families that talked with the DJs. So I got to see inside the Target House there too. That is where I fell in love with elephants (I was told they were the international symbol of friendship but I’m not sure that’s correct – I do know they have a complex social structure) because there are wonderful statues of elephants outside the house.

After Suzanne’s passing Jack and Barbara continued to be avid supporters of St Jude – they didn’t just fall off the face of the earth in their grief – they expressed their immense gratitude by recording their story for St Jude to use in their radiothons, they volunteered at the hospital and the Target House. They were all over, supporting  St Jude in memory of Suzanne. They gave back in gratitude just as I encourage all of you to do every day no matter what is going on in your life.

If Jack and Barbara can remain positive after finding out that their precious little girl had a deadly disease and then had relapses just when they thought she was on the verge of a remission (not just once but twice), you can remain positive at least for today, don’t you think. I know that I try to remember what they went through every time things don’t seem to go my way or get overwhelming.

To continue with faith and hope in the face of immense adversity and tragedy is the mark of a true hero in my book. And Jack and Barbara fit that bill completely. I honor and respect their resilience and hope that I can garner a tiny bit of their phenomenal qualities.

Thank you for being in my life, Jack and Barbara. You are a great inspiration to me.

Terrie

Again another “unplanned” Inspiree (remember I created that word to mean someone who has inspired me) for today.  I’m still on a high and a roll for St Jude Children’s Research Center. Every year since the late 1990s (I can’t remember exactly – surprise, surprise) I’ve cherished the two day period when Country Music honors St Jude and the children who are suffering way more than they should ever have to. I think I mentioned this when I wrote about Travis Moon – when I moved from DC to San Antonio one of the things I missed the most was the St Jude Radiothons. I was so excited when Travis brought them to San Antonio! I felt alive again. Of course I can give to St Jude at any time. That’s not the point. There is such magic during that two day period when a community unites around a group of children who are fighting the fight of their lives while their parents sit around helplessly and have to watch. And San Antonio, although a very large city, may not be high in the income bracket. However, we have all embraced this cause. If we hadn’t, we would NOT have increased our giving every year in the four short years that the radiothon has been in existence here.

So what does all that have to do with today’s folks – Randy Carroll and Jamie Martin?  They are the two primary radio personalities who collaborate and support Travis Moon and bring the wonderful folks of San Antonio together. They all go without sleep and are on the air for an amazing amount of time talking and encouraging everyone to give. That is NOT an easy task. And then they have to work the next day – they don’t even get to see their families for several days I think.  I know that they were there from approximately 3 a.m. on Thursday til well after 9 pm  and then again back on the air at least by 4 a.m. Friday and did not get done with their radio responsibilities until after 11 pm and then back on the air on Saturday a.m. That is phenomenal endurance and something I admire (if you’ve followed any of my running endeavors, endurance is the most important thing to me).

But not only do Randy and Jamie have the endurance but they have their fingers on the pulse of San Antonio and they know what’s going on in our minds, hearts and souls. And they are so sensitive to issues that everyone has. They spend hours “outside” of themselves trying to take us away from whatever pain we might be going through every single day. You know they have to have “bad hair” days (that’s sort of a joke if you listen to KJ97) but you never hear it in their voices. They are always there for us. We often need that. I know I do. When things aren’t going great at work, I just plug in the radio and hear them laughing or talking about what’s going on and I start to smile again and things don’t seem so rough.

We often take these folks for granted. They are sleep deprived almost 100% of the time because they are the early morning show but they have to host late night concerts that the radio station is involved in. You know they are totally exhausted but you NEVER ever hear it in their voices. They never complain or say “you think you’ve got it bad”. No, they are always upbeat and happy, knowing that’s what the listeners need (and expect even though we know that they are human too, we tend to forget that). They certainly live up to our expectations.

I remember when Jamie hooked up with Randy on the morning show. What a difference that made for everyone. In fact, it’s funny but when one of them is on vacation and they have a “guest” helping out, it’s like going through withdrawal.  How selfish of me. But I can’t help it if they have spoiled me.

I have never heard two more wonderful people in my entire listening career. I used to dislike country music until I started running in 1993. Where I lived the only thing  I could get on my radio was country music so I ran (in the middle of the night) and began to love country and now do not listen to anything else. I have had two favorite sets of morning DJs – Jim London/Mary Ball in DC and now Randy and Carroll in SA. You can tell how much you love your radio personalities by how much you miss them if you don’t listen for a day. I take some courses that I have CDs that I should listen to and every morning when I get in the car to go to work I have to make a conscious decision regarding what to listen to: Randy and Jamie or my CDs. I will tell you that in the a.m. Randy and Jamie win 90% of the time – I always tell myself that I can listen to the CDs in the afternoon. Why do I do this? Because not only do they play all the songs I love to hear (especially “King George”) but because I just feel like I’m part of their family and if I miss a day I miss out on what’s going on in the family’s life.  I think they call that living vicariously or something like that.

Anyway, Randy and Jamie – I thank you for your dedication to St Jude, to country music and most of all to us, your very loyal listeners! You are the highlight of my day almost every single day and I can’t thank you enough. You are a Dynamic Duo for sure! And of course I have to put this great picture up again….LOL..can you tell it means alot to me that you took the time to shoot it with me? Ha Ha!

Terrie

 I have to tell you that this day’s honoree was NOT planned! But after the last 48 hours he rushed to the top of my list of inspirees (that’s a new word – a person who inspires….LOL). Who the heck is Travis Moon? He’s not well known like Mickey Mantle or Robin Roberts but he’s one of the greatest motivators I’ve ever known. And I’ve now had the honor of meeting him twice – last year and this year. He’s such a down to earth guy with probably the very biggest heart I’ve ever seen in my life! That’s something for sure – and to say that about a man makes it even greater in my book (most men don’t want you to know that they have a heart that big but Travis lets it all hang out there for you to see and take into your own soul).

Why am I so taken with him? Not because he’s a radio personality here in San Antonio (at the greatest country station there is – KJ 97 ) but he is, in a sense, the country music voice of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital! This was, I believe, something like his 18th St Jude Radiothon for St Jude’s and it was the 4th in San Antonio (I’ve told everyone I know that when I moved to San Antonio from DC 9 years ago there were two things I missed immensely – one was my vet and the other was the St Jude Radiothons and now I have  a great Vet and San Antonio has the radiothons so I’m very happy).

Mr. Moon spends over 48 hours straight going strong on the air inspiring people to give to St Jude. Everything he says comes directly from the heart and you can tell that he’s living it right there with you and not just giving you  hype. He really cares (as do the other radio personalities at KJ97). It’s not “just a job” – he brought the radiothon to San Antonio – he didn’t “inherit it”. It’s not just something he “has to do”. It’s something he loves and has an amazing passion for. That’s why I feel so much akin to him. I have had that same degree of passion since I met Suzanne over 11 years ago.  We both seem to live to give to St Jude but we do so in almost totally opposite ways.

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I so respect Mr. Moon for being able to continually generate the required enthusiasm not only amongst the other folks at the radio station but amongst the entire “country music” population of San Antonio as well. He brings everyone TOGETHER at least once a year for 48 hours. But what people don’t seem to understand is that as hard as he works during those 48 hours, there is so very much preparation and organization/coordination that has to go into preparing for the event. He has to communicate with all the artists that contribute wonderful gifts that give folks an incentive to become a “Partner In Hope” and man were there some great ones this year. This takes effort and lobbying even though all the artists are extremely generous – you know they are getting hit up by every radio station (and others) throughout the country. It definitely requires a sales job but Mr. Moon has quite a resume to let artists know that San Antonio is an extremely caring community that pulls together to take care of others. He’s such an inspiration that he’s got San Antonio competing with other markets that far exceed San Antonio – raising almost three quarters of a million dollars in our area in just the 4th year required awesome preparation and then a solid 48 hours of hard charging and letting the world play his own heart strings – he didn’t play those of others – he let others see what’s in his heart and what’s behind his passion for St Jude.

I think so highly of Travis Moon that I wish there were something I could do to help him and the others – I know they are exhausted and yet they still have to work today and probably even tomorrow – radio life has to go on! The adrenaline can only last so long.

In your prayers tonight and when you’re saying your “gratitudes”  please thank the world for people like Travis Moon, Randy Carroll, Jamie Martin, and Bree who took all the children that will ever need help from St Jude Children’s Research Hospital into their souls, hearts, minds and lives for 48-72 straight hours and wrapped San Antonian hearts around that wonderful hospital as well. I hope you realize that the research done at St Jude’s is spread all around the world and not kept in a proprietary manner. Anything discovered at St Jude is given freely to the rest of the medical community. Another thing that many people don’t realize is that no one is ever turned away for an inability to pay. The entire family (including siblings of the stricken member ) are cared for completely – it’s one very big happy family. I have been “involved with” and passionate about St Jude’s for over 11 years and have been fortunate enough to have been able to visit there and watch what goes on and even through all my tears I could see the love and happiness that radiate in a place that you would think would be maudlin. It is so far from that it’s amazing. As they said on the air – the love and concern for the kids reaches from the people manning the doors all the way to the top administrators. They are all there for one reason and one reason only – to care for and love the kids.

I pray that you never, ever have to experience the tragedy of a pediatric catastrophic illness (or of an adult one either) but if you do or are friends with someone who is enduring such pain, I hope that you remember this post and know that your family can get help at St Jude’s. Please give. Mr Moon gives his heart and soul to this cause. You can give $0.67 a day (pocket change as Randy emphasiszed) to help some poor child who should not be suffering but should be out playing. If you want to support my memorial fund to Suzanne please contribute at my Tribute page  but if you just want to go to St Jude to contribute use their link.

  Even though this post is specifically to honor Mr. Moon, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention his wonderful on air family again – Randy, Jamie and Bree – and they really are a family. I thank Randy and Jamie for taking their valuable time to take this picture with me yesterday morning. I will cherish it forever!

Thank you all!

Terrie