I also began what has become a lifetime of service to charities that have special meaning to me. While in Chicago, I helped launch the local Arthritis Foundation Telethon.

It was a simple broadcast, done in a local mall--but it meant so much to me to bring attention and help raise money for Arthritis sufferers. My late mother had suffered terribly from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Chicago was also the place where I truly felt like I was a part of a team. And the Channel 5 News team back then was awesome.

A highlight was when our entire news group took the stage at the local Emmy's celebrating our win for our coverage the highjacking in 1985 of TWA Flight 847.

That was the one that bounced around the Middle East for two weeks, with a number of passengers from Illinois.