Season 4 Episode 4- Featuring Donna Terrell

Fox 16 News anchor Donna Terrell joined me on the show this week! Raised in the small town of Albion, Michigan, Donna found a love for journalism in high school, while taking a journalism class. She then attended Central Michigan University, which had the best broadcasting program in the state at the time, and her time at CMU helped prepare her for the career that she has today. 

Sharing one of the most impactful stories I’ve heard, Donna shared with me the impact her parents had on her life and how important they were in helping with her daughter Queah. I would be wrong to not discuss the impact of Queah both on the world and her mother. Queah passed away in 2011 from colon cancer. While her death was heart wrenching, Donna said she is proud to have had Queah and to watch her fight so bravely. In 2014 after Queah’s passing, Donna started the “Donna Terrell’s Yoga Warriors Fighting Colon Cancer'' organization in honor of her daughter, since yoga had always made Queah feel better in the midst of her treatments. The nonprofit organization has raised money for yoga classes for cancer survivors and caregivers going on ten years now. Donna has since ventured into a plethora of opportunities within helping the community throughout the state of Arkansas and beyond.  

Not too long after graduating from college, Donna worked as a public affairs coordinator in Battle Creek, Michigan, for a small company that would soon launch a news station. After much persistence, Donna was given the opportunity to begin doing her own stories. She had many positions at this company, as well with other networks in places in Cleveland, Ohio and South Bend, Indiana. Donna finally got a main anchor role in Detroit, Michigan. Shortly after fulfilling a lifelong dream in Detroit, however, the company shut down the news station.

After the cancellation in Detroit, Little Rock, Arkansas came calling. Through many interviews in different cities, Donna knew Arkansas was meant to be home. First visiting in December of 2003, she was loved and appreciated by peers all over the station. Upon getting the main anchor job, the launch of the show was a difficult one, but the process was worth it. Working from the start with Kevin Kelly, who is still there with Donna at Fox today, the two found it difficult at first to get their feet wet in the market, but now are one of the longest running news duos in the entire country.

This is what Mrs. Terrell left me with, “Love yourself, don't beat up on yourself. If you do, take it as a learning experience to be better.” She also said, “On my tombstone, I want them to write, ‘She tried, and someone very close to me said no, she did’”. So powerful, emotional, and inspirational, please sit back, learn and laugh from this story. It was an honor to be able to do this as I still learn as much as I can from every person I speak with. Please enjoy!! God bless!
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(0:00)- Intro
(2:10)- Donna's Intro
(5:15)- Journalism beginning 
(7:36)- Choosing CMU
(9:47)- Impact from parents
(15:04)- Donna talks about her daughter Queah
(20:34)- Yoga warriors
(25:44)- Personal impact on the community
(29:17)- First job
(32:45)- First story
(34:33)- Advice for journalist
(40:40)- Immediate goals out of college
(45:40)- Musical taste
(49:24)- Fox 16 in Little Rock
(59:05)- Relationship wi