E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Photo by Subrata De
Wedding photo of Bethany and Don Lansaw
I cannot shake my feelings for Joplin, Missouri. Nor can I express how they are holding up. It was an emotional few days—including a visit back to where I lived, and where I started my career. And at one point, 30 years ago, I thought that would mean putting down roots and settling into a life of local news in Joplin, as several of my friends did. It turns out my friend Dowe Quick (who is my age and has been married exactly as long as I have) is the dean of the local anchors, always so steady and superb on the air, always a great journalist and a first-rate reporter. He taught me a lot when I first arrived at that first TV station, and he's a wonderful guy whose decency comes flying through the screen.
Before leaving Joplin, I stopped to visit with a young woman. The interview I conducted with her will air on the broadcast tonight. It’s a tragic story of love and loss and heroism and survival—and tonight I want you all to meet an extraordinary young woman named Bethany Lansaw.
With one eye on the weather radar from the Midwest, and forever changed by what we saw in Joplin—we hope you can join us here tonight.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Leave a Comment:
Glad you made it back to NY safe Brian-and you're right, that interview is a hard one to listen to without so much as tearing up! I know I did
See you tonight
You were so kind and gentle with her and my heart aches for her loss. She was very brave to share.
I know what you mean about life in the midwest. It seems so settling and predictable. Wasn't enough for me, probably a failing in there somewhere. There are lots of ways to live though and it's good to be able to soak up many environments.
As much as I've benefited by the reporting from Joplin, yours and then TWC when you're done, I'm rationing it now. There is something unhealthy about the addiction I'm starting to feel for it. I need to live square in my life even though my heart and prayers go out to others.
Thank you for being able to communicate what it is like there for everyone. I've not known this before and I'm a better person for it.
Maybe you can rest for awhile...
My 28 year old son and daughter-in-law lived in Joplin this time last year but moved back to California last summer. Both worked at MSSU, he with mens basketball where the red cross shelter is now. The house they rented was on E.28th st near Florida St, right slap in the middle of the destroyed neighborhood. Their house had no basement. They totally could have been that couple you profiled. It is a beautiful piece. It's interesting how Joplin is such special place. My kids will be lucky to have started their careers there, as you so meaningfully wrote
thanks for your good work,
Susan Brooks
Good Evening Mr.Williams, A fine broadcast this evening as always. Happy you made it back safely to New York. Thoughts and prayers go out to all the people in the MidWest affected by these terrible tornadoes and one hopes the skies calm for a long while now. The interview you had with Bethany Lansaw just brought me to tears. It was difficult to hear her speak about what happened without crying oneself and ones heart goes out to her. So very tragic and sad.
The report by Mr.Allen showed such massive destruction caused by a 6 mile long stretch of the tornado's path. It must have been so frightening for the people in the Red Cross shelter to hear sirens again going off. Fortunately, it was a false alarm and there was no tornado. People desperately trying to sift through the rubble to recover any sort of belongings and it is incredible what people come across in the destruction. So very staggering the amount of damage.
The "Making A Difference" segment by Mr.Mott about the War Veterans going to help the people of Joplin was incredibly moving. Answering the call for service to others not in a war, but in helping those in need within a community shows such dedication and commitment. Their group called Team Rubicon certainly has helped many,many people in crisis. They are continuing to do wonderful work.
Thank You for the broadcast Mr.Williams. Peace to You and to All!
Be Well Everyone!
Lisa
Terrible things happening in the mid-west. Could you inform your listeners how many dollars our foreign friends have pledged to help the country out?
Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!
Brian, thanks to you and your NBC team for the heartfelt reports you've filed from Joplin. The stories are heartbreaking, including tonight's interview with Bethany, who lost her husband during the tornado. I'm a native of Kansas City. Having grown up in "tornado alley," the stories really hit home. I now live in Colorado, and everyone is talking about the Joplin tornado. Your stories took us there. As sad as this news is, it's also inspiring to see people helping each other out, including Team Rubicon. Hope the nation opens its pocketbooks as well as its hearts to help Joplin get back on its feet. It's going to take time. Hope you'll continue to follow this story.
Dear Mr. Williams,
Thank you for your heart-felt and touching interview with survivor Bethany. I hope and pray that Bethany will feel the comfort of family and friends embracing her and lifting her up during this devestating time. With your coverage and the support of others, Joplin in time, will rebuild. Thank you for informing your audience on how to help the community in Joplin.
Mr Williams - This interview, more than any other piece of journalism I've seen in the past few days, brought home the painful loss experienced by the people of Joplin during this massive weather event. May God bless her and all of the people of Joplin as they struggle to rebuild their lives. And thank you for the humanity with which you covered a story...not just any story, but one near and dear to you as you returned to the place where it all began, professionally. It could not have been easy.
Brian,
Bethany is the sister of one of my best friends from my years at Mizzou. When I heard about the storms I called him to see how he and his family were doing and he told me the horrible news. They are a wonderful family and from the stories he's told me, Bethany and Don were such an amazing, loving couple. Thank you for touching people's hearts by showing the personal stories behind the storm. It is this type of reporting which you and your Nightly News team have done so well in Tuscaloosa, New Orleans, in Minneapolis when the bridge collapsed and so many other times that truly move people to help others. Whether it is financial, giving their time or even just sending a note of support, your loyal viewers are having a profound impact on the lives of the people from your stories. Please continue to tell those stories, both happy and sad so that we as a society can reach out and help each other.
Does Brian Williams have a shred of human decency? What a shameless and grotesque exploitation of this poor woman's suffering. What a horrible thing to put her through. Bethany was 24 or 48 hours removed from tragically losing her husband (depending on when this interview was taped) and Brian is right there like a vulture to take advantage of her misery in order to gain a few ratings points. How awful. Just because Bethany consented to the interview doesn't mean it was appropriate. People who are grieving over a recent tragic loss can't always be expected to show sound judgment or know what choices are best for themselves. It's supposed to be Brian's responsibility to use discretion and show restraint. He failed miserably. How could he take advantage of this poor woman this way? This is by far the lowest point for Brian Williams and Nightly News. I only wish that Murrow and Cronkite were still around so they could lecture Brian about journalistic ethics.
@NBC_FAN- now tell me where exactly did Brian mess up?? he was raised in Joplin and it is his home town... his hometown is demolished and I'm sure he has lost loved ones and a part of his past time.. you are degrading and trying to rip someone whose hometown and place where he grew up is now destroyed, what makes you a better person? this is truly a great story and the way NBC handled it was of perfection. NBC recognizes the loss of this woman's husband, from the way it sounds he was a great guy and she was willing to give a testimony of exactly what happened to her and the heroics of husband. Yes she is sad, but her husband gave his life to save her and she wants that story to be told. Start worrying about judging your own moral and ethics, before you place it on someone who has the right to feel the same pain as others in Joplin, I'm sure NBC has done more to help the city of Joplin then you have ever thought about, each one of these news pieces motivates more and more people to help out the city of Joplin, adn all you care about is degrading someone who cares. Brian this is a great piece, I once lost a good portion of my hometown (havent lived there in 15 years) back in '99 (Moore, OK).. I'm sure this weekend has been like hell for you just get some rest and keep up the good work
Brian: The viewers had a right to see your interview with the woman who was saved by her heroic husband. This was a terrible tragedy, but because of her husband she is alive. How dare anyone ridicule the segment! The other statement was made out of pure ignorance. No one on the Nightly News team is taking advantage of the victims in Joplin, Missouri. I am so sick of people and their scornful remarks. The team did a great job of reporting from this mean storm area. I wish it would have been a happier story, but so goes broadcasting. Ill catch you on tonight's broadcast.
Me too What is that saying about a woman scorned, etc.? Like Cinderalla and her sisters,
If the shoe, slipper fits is approp in this situation.
i am a fan of yous and live in spfld,but never knew you were from joplin. i watch you every night and i thought the story of the husband shielding his wife and losing his life was a wonderful way for his wife to honor him and let the world know what a great man he was. there was nothing distasteful in the report. some people just love to be negative about everything and are not happy unless they are thrashing someone. keep up the good work that you do and i will see you tonight.
Brian,
I think you're a first rate man, and every nightly news broadcast is just steller. The story about Bethany was beautiful, and worthwhile but could you maybe break my heart just a little less. This year has had so much tragedy. It's difficult for me to even think about this story without choking up.
Thanks,
Leslie
Bethany and I graduated from high school together. She is an amazingly talented individual! Thank you for running this piece on her and to everyone that is able, please contribute to the memorial fund that has been set up in Don's memory to help Bethany start to rebuild her life.