C O M M E N TA R Y
MY ADVENTURE
IT HAD NOT ReALLy HIT Me
until the day of my last broadcast
when Mary K., with tears in her
eyes, handed me a dress shirt, as she
had done every day for decades,
getting me ready for work. She knew
that, if left to my own devices, I
would wear the same shirt, suit and
tie every day. However, on that day,
she said quietly, "This is the last time
I’ll be doing this.” I had a lonely ride
to the station that day, as I drove
across the Howard Frankland Bridge
and down Kennedy Boulevard to WTVT
FOX 13. I had made the trip thousands
of times over the years, but this was the
last time for me to do so.
As I entered, the newsroom staff stood,
applauded and cheered for me. Then, my
eyes began welling up. This was another
family of mine that I had spent so much
time with and had developed friendships
that will last a lifetime. My final broadcast
will be replayed many times at our home,
as I couldn’t be prouder of both my families
for the wonderful send-off they gave me,
that was so mixed with euphoria, sadness
and humility. Over the years, I have been
on interesting trips and reported from
some of the world’s hot spots; but they
were all secondary to broadcasting for 17
years at FOX13. Now, instead of working
beside my son Mark, he slid right into my
anchor chair, and it was a perfect fit.
they began singing in Mary K’s
church choirs, which gave each of
them a solid foundation for what
was to come.
We have formed a nonprofit,
Wilson Family Foundation, to help
support the band and other family
endeavors. I have moved into a new
office with my eldest son Paul at
WILSONMedia, an advertising firm
that he started several years ago that
will also include public relations,
corporate communications and the production
of documentaries that we want
to make.
Now, I watch the news instead of doing
it. There is no clock or deadline staring
me in the face; and I have put away my
‘makeup bag’ and hung up my microphone.
Mark is helping me get through
this transition; and Mary K. will still be in
charge of finding me a pressed shirt on
occasion, because I know this is the start
of a new adventure, once I figure out
exactly what I should do.
9
EDITOR’S NOTE: John Wilson ended 50
plus years of radio and television news broadcasting
with his final goodbye on WTVT
FOX 13 on November 26, 2014, the day before
Thanksgiving.
BEGINS
By John Wilson
John Wilson
For Mary K. and me, our three sons and
their families are the joys of our lives. I am
elated that I will now be able to spend more
time with them and our six unbelievably
talented grandchildren.
Mark always wanted to be a “TV Newsman”
and even drew a cartoon character
once of himself saying that, but he also
wanted to be a musician. The violin came
first, then guitar and keyboard. Another
son, Paul played trumpet and still has
his horn. A performing career was also
destined for him, along with one in
advertising and marketing. His ‘Frank
Sinatra” and “David Lee Roth” get crowds
going every time he performs. Our
youngest son Patrick, the movie star,
always wanted to perform; and now,
between movies, when he’s not playing
drums, he’s lead singer for our family
rock band, The Wilson Van. Music has been
part of their lives since childhood when
152 TAMPA BAy MAGAZINe JANUARy/FeBRUARy 2015