Acadiana Gives

It’s bigger than any one person.

We hear that phrase associated with organizations, with causes, with sports teams, with families.

And it couldn’t be more true than when it comes to helping the many (the TOO many) children from our area who are treated at a wonderful place called St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

But even a cause like St. Jude needs a “point person” to carry the torch and rally the local troops.

When I left KATC-TV almost 3 years ago, I had to say “goodbye” to a lot of things I loved: Television news. Storytelling. Great co-workers & friends.

And a little thing called “The St. Jude Acadiana Dream Home Project”.

That was the toughest one to give up, specifically, to stop being the front man for a spectacular cause. I’d gotten to know so many families over 11 years, and had become the surrogate uncles to a zillion tremendous and courageous kids.

“Who would replace me?”, I wondered. “Who COULD replace me?” my ego followed.

How about Tracy Wirtz, already a local radio legend and current co-host of KATC’s successful “Good Morning Acadiana” program. Yeh, how about Tracy Wirtz?

Tracy has taken the handoff, and just kept going with the St. Jude cause. She’s brought energy and new ideas, and, like myself, has become more than just a reporter doing stories about sick kids. But in so doing, Tracy has done something many of the “television news consultants” have told on-air talent NOT to do.

Tracy has allowed the public to see that she cares, that her heart is broken when a child takes a turn for the worse, and that she’s not afraid to jump in the air when another million dollars is raised for the St. Jude cause.

And that’s why it works. It works because Tracy Wirtz isn’t afraid to let the viewers know that she has feelings, that she has a lot more in common with them than they think. She’s got children, she’s got grandchildren (congrats, by the way).

Tracy has gone the extra mile, by sending out updates on Acadiana patients to St. Jude supporters across the country. Plus, she’s worked closely with one family to organize a “bone marrow match” event, all part of a desperate, last minute effort to, in sports terminology, complete a ‘Hail Mary’ pass and save the life of one Lafayette teenager whose search for a cure has practically run out of options.

She’s got that “heart of gold” label we usually toss around way too much. But Tracy’s heart, her love for St. Jude, Is gold at its finest.

I’m proud to call Tracy Wirtz my friend. I’m even prouder to call her my successor in a cause called “St. Jude”.

Scott Brazda is the Executive Director of Stuller Family Foundation.