Kindness: Raleigh police officer helps former WRAL employee
DISCOVER
>>> THE POLICE MODEL WE ALL
KNOW IS TO PROTECT AND SERVE.
FOR MANY OFFICERS IT MEANS TO
BEFRIEND AND ENCOURAGE.
A FORMER WRAL EMPLOYEE WHO
LANDED ON HARD TIMES HAS
EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND THE
COMPASSION OF A RALEIGH POLICE
OFFICER.
HE HAS REDISCOVERED HIS
LIFELONG JOY.
>> THIS IS BEEN A PART OF MY
LIFE.
>> OUR OLD FRIEND STILL SEES
THE MAGIC.
OF WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
SENDING PICTURES AND MUSIC
THROUGH THE AIR.
WE GO TO AN OLDIES RADIO
STATION.
TAKING YOU BACK TO 1971 HE
KNOWS HIS MUSIC.
HE IS A BORN BROADCASTER.
A RADIOMAN IN THE NAVY.
4 DECADES AT WRAL.
>> I SAID THAT IS WHERE I WANT
TO BE.
IT IS A PASSION TO SPREAD THE
MUSIC THROUGH THE AIR.
>> MASTER CONTROL OPERATOR, BUT
WITHOUT THE DAILY JOY THE MUSIC
WITH IN HIM DIED.
HE SANG IN THE SADNESS AND
LONELINESS.
HE WANDERED THE STREETS OF
DOWNTOWN RALEIGH LONGING FOR
COMPANY.
>> THE FIRST TIME I MET HIM I
WAS THINKING IT WAS ABOUT THREE
YEARS AGO.
>> THAT IS THE RALEIGH POLICE
OFFICER WHO BEFRIENDED HIM AT
THE BUS STATION.
>> AT THE TIME HE NEEDED
SOMEONE TO TALK TO.
I SAT DOWN TO TALK TO HIM FOR A
LITTLE WHILE.
>> HE WOULD CHECK IN ON HIM
MOST DAYS.
HE CAME TO CARE ABOUT TOMMY.
>> HE IS A GOOD GUY. A GENTLE
GIANT AND A TEDDY BEAR.
>> THE MORE TIME THEY SPEND
TOGETHER THE MORE HE HEARD THE
MUSIC COME BACK TO LIFE.
HE EVEN BOUGHT HIM A
MICROPHONE, CD PLAYER, RADIO,
AND MANAGED TO GET HIM A
BROADCASTING JOB.
HE ASKED SOMEONE OUT LITTLE
RALEIGH RADIO STATION IF HE
COULD DO HIS OWN SHOW.
NOW EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT 5-7
TOMMY IS ON THE AIR.
>> IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.
>> THE OFFICER KNOWS WALKING
THE BEAT OFTEN MEANS WALKING
ALONGSIDE PEOPLE.
>> SHOW THEM THAT POLICE ARE
NOT JUST OUT TO LOOK FOR PEOPLE
DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
WE REALLY TRULY HAVE A DESIRE
TO HELP PEOPLE WHEN WE CAN.
>> HOW IMPORTANT IS HE IN YOUR
LIFE?
>> VERY IMPORTANT. HE HAS GIVEN
ME A GOAL.
>> PLAY US A SONG.
THE MAGIC IS STILL THERE.
WRAL NEWS, RALEIGH.
>> WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE SET