♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

MEET DAWN GEE, IF YOU HAVE LIVED IN LOUISVILLE ANY TIME AT ALL, YOU MIGHT HAVE MET HER OR FELT LIKE YOU HAVE FROM HER 30 PLUS YEARS ON WAVE 3 OR THE MULTIPLE CHARITY EVENTS AND THE OTHER WAYS SHE GIVES BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY.

HAVE YOU LIKELY NEVER SEEN HER LIKE THIS IN THIS CANDID CONVERSATION, WHERE SHE GIVES US HER PERSPECTIVE OF A LIFE IN LOCAL NEWS, THE MOMENT SHE FELT A CALLING TO FIGHT HUNGER HERE IN HER OWN HOMETOWN, HERE EXPERIENCE HAVING A STROKE LIVE ON THE AIR AND MOST RECENTLY, RECEIVING THE PRESTIGIOUS HONOR OF BEING NAMED THE MUHAMMAD ALI KENTUCKY HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR.

>> IF YOU HAVE HEARD THE CALL TO DO SOMETHING AND YOU HAVE NOT DONE IT, THAT CALL IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

IT'S NOT.

YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT.

THE WORLD NEEDS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT YOU HAVE, WHATEVER IT IS.

YOU MAY NOT THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT IS NEEDED.

SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE NEEDS YOU.

>> WELL, IT IS HARD TO KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN WHEN IT COMES TO DAWN GEE.

WHAT A FORCE, WHAT A LEGEND IN THIS COMMUNITY YOU GREW UP HERE IN LOUISVILLE.

>> YES.

>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP HERE AND WHAT GOT YOU INTO THE CAREER YOU HAD IN NEWS?

>> IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO GROW UP.

I HAVE THE BEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD.

I HAVE THE BEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE HERE AND, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE STAYED IN THIS MARKET.

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID, DON'T YOU WANT TO LEAVE?

NO, MY MAMA AND MY DADDY ARE HERE AND MY SISTER AND THEN WHEN I HAD KIDS, YOU KNOW, MY KIDS ARE HERE AND MY GRANDPARENTS WERE HERE.

EVEN MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS WERE HERE.

SO I NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE.

AND JUST LOVED IT.

>> WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN JOURNALISM?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS SPOKE TO YOU?

>> I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION BUT CAN I TELL YOU THIS.

SO I WAS IN FIRST GRADE AND I REMEMBER THIS AS CLEAR AS DAY.

WE WERE DOING A PLAY.

AT VIRGINIA AVENUE WHICH ENDED UP BEING JESSE RODMAN CARTER ON VIRGINIA AVENUE.

I WENT THERE, DARYL GRIFFITH WENT THERE, MUHAMMAD ALI WENT THERE AND ALL IN THE GYMNASIUM AUDITORIUM, WE HAD A STAGE.

AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH TEACHER IT WAS.

IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN-- IT WASN'T MISS CURRY, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN.

ANYWAY, WE WERE DOING A PLAY.

AND IT WAS ABOUT GHOSTS.

WE HAD TO PICK WHAT COLOR GHOST WE WANT TO BE AND THEY WANTED ME TO BE THE PINK GHOST.

I SAID NO.

MY TEACHER... WHAT DID YOU SAY?

NO MA'AM.

I'M NOT GOING TO BE THE GHOST.

SHE SAID HAVE YOU TO PICK A GHOST.

NO MA'AM.

AND SO THE THREAT, DO YOU WANT ME TO CALL YOUR MOTHER?

MY MOTHER WAS A PRINCIPAL.

AND YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL JO, YOU NEVER WANT TO CALL JO, JOANNE WAS MY NAME.

SHE KNEW IF SHE MADE THAT THREAT, SHE KNEW WOULD I DO WHAT SHE WANTED.

I SAID NO.

SHE SAID WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN THIS PLAY.

THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING.

I SAID I'M NOT GOING TO BE A GHOST.

SHE SAID YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF.

AND I TOLD HER I AM GOING TO BE THE REPORTER THAT TELLS THE COMMUNITY THERE ARE GHOSTS IN THIS HOUSE.

>> THERE YOU GO.

SHE SAID WHAT?

THIS IS WHO I LOVED.

THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FACE THAT I SAW ON THE NEWS IN THIS CITY AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WILL REMEMBER.

ARE YOU FROM HERE?

>> FROM OWENSBORO.

CLOSE.

>> YOU MIGHT REMEMBER.

WAS LAURA BRADSHAW.

>> BRADSHAW?

NO.

>> I WATCHED HER AS A LITTLE GIRL.

AND I SAID THERE I AM.

>> YEAH.

>> AND WHEN THAT PLAY CAME ON, THEY LET ME STAND THERE WITH THE MIC AND I REMEMBER SAYING AND I'M LAURA BRADSHAW AND I TOLD EVERYBODY THERE WERE GHOSTS IN THAT HOUSE AND I WAS SO, SO PROUD.

>> AND THAT'S WHEN YOU WERE BIT BY THE BUG AS THEY SAY.

>> I KNEW WAS I WAS GOING TO DO.

YOU TALK TO MY FRIENDS FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND TO THIS DAY THEY SAY, YOU ALWAYS SAID YOU WERE GOING TO BE A JOURNALIST.

I DON'T REMEMBER TELLING THEM THAT, BUT...

SO I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

THIS IS WHAT-- >> WHAT YOU WERE BORN TO DO.

>> I GUESS GOD WHISPERED, GO DO THAT THING.

>> YOUR CAREER HAS TRANSCENDED JOURNALISM.

>> IT HAS.

>> BECAUSE OF YOUR CAREER AS A FLANTSDZ PHILANTHROPIST GIVING BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY.

EVEN GOING TO CHURCH.

CERTAINLY MY PARENTS.

THAT IS WHAT YOU DO.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES IN YOUR JOURNALISM, TELLING STORIES AND INSPIRED TO YOU DO MORE AS IN YOUR NON-PROFIT NOW.

>> SURE.

>> TELL BUS THAT.

>> I ALWAYS HOPE, IF I DO A STORY, THAT IT IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I THINK OUR JOB, AND YOU KNOW THIS AS A JOURNALIST, YOU HOPE IF YOU TELL A STORY, IT IS NOT JUST WORDS IN THE AIR.

WE DON'T DO IT FOR THAT REASON, EVEN WHEN WE TELL A STORY AND UNFORTUNATELY WE TELL MANY STORIES OF SOMEONE BEING MURDERED, OF A FIRE.

THEY'RE NOT JUST WORDS.

WE WANT SOMEBODY TO HELP THIS FAMILY.

WHO DO THIS?

CAN YOU HELP?

THERE IS A FIRE.

CAN YOU HELP?

WE PUT THAT OUT THERE SO PEOPLE WILL REALIZE, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, FOLKS.

LET'S CHANGE THIS.

EVERYTHING WE DO, I HOPE, HAS SOME KIND OF MOVEMENT OF GOOD.

THAT'S MY HOPE ANYWAY.

AND EVERYBODY ALWAYS LOOKS AT ME AND THEY SHAKE THEIR HEAD, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT GIRL.

YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO POLYANNA AND IT'S NOT.

I HAVE THAT BELIEF.

I HAVE THAT BELIEF AND THAT'S MY BELIEF AND I'M HOLDING ON TO IT.

BUT, YEAH, I WAS EMCEEING AT A PROGRAM FOR A HIGH SCHOOL AND THESE KIDS WERE THE SWEETEST AND IT WAS AN ART CLASS AND CULINARY PROGRAM.

THEY MADE THESE BOWLS AND THEY SOLD THE BOWLS.

THE CULINARY PROGRAM MADE SOUP AND THEY SOLD THE SOUP AND THEY INVITED PEOPLE THAT WERE FOOD INSECURE AND ALL THIS MONEY WAS GOING TO HELP THOSE WHO WERE FOOD INSECURE AND THE TEACHER HAD TALKED TO A FAMILY THAT HAD A LITTLE BOY, THEY DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE FOOD.

YOU KNOW HOW KIDS, THEY'RE SO HONEST.

KIDS ARE ALWAYS HONEST.

MY DAUGHTER HAS A FIRST GRADE CLASS.

SHE IS A TEACHER.

AND OH MY GOODNESS, THE THINGS THAT THEY SAY.

BUT THIS LITTLE BOY HAD SAID, SO PROUDLY TO HER, HE WHISPERED.

WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE FOOD.

SHE SAID I KNOW.

IT'S OKAY.

WE ARE GOING TO FEED YOU TODAY.

AND HE SAID BUT I CAN KEEP MY STOMACH FROM HURTING WHEN WE DON'T HAVE FOOD.

AND SHE KNEW NOT TO SAY HOW DO DO YOU THAT?

BUT IT CAME OUT OF HER MOUTH.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

AND HE WHISPERED, I EAT PAPER.

THAT LITTLE SOUL.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT IN SOME WAY OFF PLACE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT IN OUR BACKYARD.

SORRY.

>> THAT'S OKAY.

AND SO I LEFT FOR A SECOND.

AFTER WE FOUND THAT OUT.

I DID WHAT I ALWAYS DO.

I CALLED MY MAMA.

AND I SAID TO HER, LIKE I CAN'T DO THIS, LIKE THIS IS CRAZY.

AND I CRIED AND SHE LISTENED FOR A MINUTE AND THEN SHE SAID WHAT SHE ALWAYS SAID.

YOU'VE GOT FIVE MINUTES YOU'VE GOT FIVE MINUTES DO THIS WHOLE SOBBING AND CRYING THING THAT YOU ARE DOING AND THEN YOU NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT AND MAKE A CHANGE.

SO I TOOK MY FIVE MINUTES AND I WENT BACK IN THERE.

BUT I WENT IN THERE WITH A LITTLE MORE DETERMINATION AND A CHANGED HEART BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED DO?

I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT IS PUT TO ALL OF US.

WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO?

WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO A LOT OF US SAY I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

THAT'S TOO BIG FOR ME.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO.

SO NOT TRUE.

AND A LOT OF US HAVE THINGS IN OUR HEART THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO AND IT TUGS AT IT AND IT TUGS AT US AND SOME OF US FEEL THE TUG AND WE GO, OKAY, IT'S TUGGING AND I HAVE TO DO IT.

SOME OF US CAN PUSH THE TUG AWAY AND JUST GO ON.

I SAY DON'T PUSH THE TUG AWAY.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.

BUT WHEN I SAT IN MY PEW AT CHURCH, I THOUGHT OF THAT LITTLE SOUL AND WHEN I WENT TO WORK, I THOUGHT OF THAT LITTLE SOUL.

AND THEN I SWEAR TO YOU, IT CAME TO ME, A RECIPE TO END HUNGER.

NOW IN MY FAMILY, WE EAT WHEN WE ARE HUNGRY.

WE EAT WHEN WE ARE BORED.

WE EAT WHEN WE ARE HAPPY.

WE JUST EAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF HAVE YOU SEEN MY FACEBOOK POST.

80% OF THEM ARE EATING.

I THOUGHT A RECIPE TO END HUNGER AND I THOUGHT, OKAY.

I CALLED LONNIE ALI, JENNIFER LAWRENCE, I CALLED NBC.

AL ROKER GAVE A RECIPE.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD.

ALL OF THE GUYS THERE, I GOT SO MANY RECIPES, ALL THE RESTAURANTS HERE IN THE CITY.

ALL MY MEDIA FRIENDS.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE HERE.

I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE A RECIPE IN THERE.

>> I DO.

>> HAVE YOU A RECIPE IN THERE AND EVERYBODY JUST RALLIED LIKE NOBODY SAID OH NO, YOU WORK AT WAVE, I'M NOT GIVING YOU A RECIPE.

EVERYBODY SAYS, OKAY.

AND IT BECAME A NUMBER ONE SELLER ON AMAZON, BUT IN THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST YEAR, WE RAISED LIKE $67,000 AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS BOOK HAS RAISED.

THE BOOK MONEY DOESN'T COME TO ME.

THAT BOOK MONEY WENT STRAIGHT TO DARE TO CARE.

I DIDN'T NEED TO SEE IT.

MONEY NEVER-- 100% OF WHAT WE MAKE I GIVE OUT.

>> GOES TO RECIPE, TO END HUNGER.

YOU HAVE RAISED $400,000.

>> YES.

AND I JUST WRITE THE CHECK.

SINCE WE STARTED.

>> AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MONEY GOES TO TO PROVIDE.

SO THAT MONEY GOES TO-- I LITERALLY WRITE THE CHECK, 100% OF WHAT WE MAKE, I HAVE NO PAID STAFF.

I MAKE MY FAMILY WORK.

THEY DON'T GET A CHOICE, RIGHT?

THEY KNOW... >> AND WE KNOW YOU WORK A LOT.

>> I DO BUT THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING GET PAID.

THEY'RE IN THE GOING TO GET PAID.

I HAVE TO SAY, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE CRASHERS, BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN ALWAYS GO TO THEM, AND I FEEL SO BAD NOT REALLY, BECAUSE WHEN I NEED TO HAVE A CONCERT, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE WILL GO, OH WELL IF YOU WANTED TO, YOU HAVE TO PAY $20,000.

YOU KNOW HOW MANY MOUTHS THAT IS?

I'M NOT GIVING YOU $20,000.

LIKE ARE YOU RAISE-- LIKE ARE YOU CRAZY?

TELL ME THAT YOU CAN'T VOLUNTEER TO HELP HUNGRY IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

OKAY, BYE.

BUT THE CRASHERS ARE ALWAYS SO SWEET AND THEY SAY TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED AND THEY PLAY AND WE NEED PEOPLE.

I WOULD HAVE NEVER REACHED THAT AMOUNT IF NOT FOR THE CRASHERS.

I LOVE THE CRASHERS.

I NEED TO SAY THAT.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

BLESSINGS AND A BACK PACK, WE HAVE GIVEN THEM WELL OVER $100,000.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN FEED LOUISVILLE, IT WAS DURING COVID AND IT WAS DURING THE ICE STORM, AND THEY HAD HUNGRY PEOPLE ON THE STREET, PEOPLE WERE LITERALLY FREEZING TO DEATH, AND RONA HAD CALLED ME CRYING AND I WAS LIKE, WE DON'T CRY.

WE FIX PROBLEMS.

I HEARD IN MY HEAD.

FIVE MINUTES.

YOU GOT FIVE MINUTES AND THIS WAS LIVE ON THE AIR SO I WROTE A CHECK.

I WRITE CHECKS ON THE AIR ALL THE TIME.

I SWEAR I DO.

I WROTE A CHECK AND KROGER WAS WITH ME IN THE STUDIO.

AND IT GOT CRAZY.

AND SO KROGER CAME IN AND SAID WHAT DID YOU-- I SAID YOU ARE NOT ON YET.

NO, NO, WHAT DID YOU SAY?

KROGER CAME IN LITERALLY, NO JOKE.

AND THEY WROTE A CHECK.

AND UNCLE NEAREST WAS ON.

YOU ALL KNOW UNCLE NEAREST HERE.

THEY DO IN FRASIER BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE LIQUOR IN THE STORE DOWNSTAIRS AND UNCLE NEAREST WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON COMING UP AND THEY CAME IN AND SAID WAIT, WAIT.

SOMEBODY IS IN TROUBLE WHAT DID YOU SAY?

AND THEY WROTE A CHECK.

WE ENDED UP IN A MATTER OF A FEW MINUTES, RAISING SOMETHING LIKE $60,000 TO FEED LOUISVILLE AND THEY ENDED UP BEING ABLE TO DO SO MANY THINGS.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

WE MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT NEED MONEY, THE WAY I ENDED UP WITH COMMUNITY AREA MINISTRIES IS LITERALLY SOME OF THEIR PANTRIES WERE EMPTY.

YOU CAN'T FEED PEOPLE IF YOU DO... AND THEY CALLED AND THEY SAID WE ARE IN TROUBLE.

THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE BEEN ON MY SHOW, AND I HAVE YELLED TO MY FLOOR DIRECTOR, CAN YOU GO GET MY CHECKBOOK?

THAT'S WHAT I DO.

I KEEP ON IT MY DESK.

AND WE WRITE THAT CHECK.

I MAKE THE MONEY TO WRITE THE CHECK.

BECAUSE THEY CAN DO THE JOB.

THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THE JOB.

THEY'RE DOING THE JOB.

BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

THERE IS ENOUGH MONEY.

THERE REALLY SHOULD NOT BE HUMMINGRY PEOPLE.

THERE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE.

>> HERE IN LOUISVILLE, THAT'S ONE OF MANY ISSUES AND PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE TIRELESSLY WORKING TO CORRECT.

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING?

WHAT WOULD STOP ME?

OCCASIONALLY MY BODY STOPS ME BUT WHAT ELSE WOULD STOP ME.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, TOO.

HAVE YOU HAD NUMEROUS HEALTH ISSUES.

YOU ARE A CANCER SURVIVOR.

>> YES.

>> YOU HAD A STROKE.

>> I DID LIVE ON AIR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO.

>> THAT WASN'T PLEASANT.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

>> I KNEW I WAS SICK THAT DAY.

IT WAS THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, AND AND MY SISTER HAD BEEN AT SHAWNEE PARK DURING THAT MASS SHOOTING.

SHE CALLED ME.

YOU DON'T GET ON THE PHONE DURING THAT TIME.

I COULD HEAR HER RUNNING.

SOMEBODY WAS SHOOTING.

SOMEBODY WAS SHOOTING.

AND I WAS LIKE WHAT?

AND IT WENT AND SHE'S GONE, RIGHT?

SOMETHING HAPPENED WHERE SHE HUNG UP AND I JUST YELLED.

GELLING AND MY YOUNGEST SON IS HOME AND I HIT THE FLOOR AND I'M YELLING.

HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

HE WAS LIKE MAMA.

AND I'M TRYING TO CALL MY SISTER BACK AND I CAN'T GET HER AND I'M SCREAMING.

I'M CALLING THE NEWSROOM.

I'M LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON IN SHAWNEE PARK.

THEY SAY IT'S A MASS SHOOTING.

SO THEN I STARTED PRAYING LIKE LITERALLY I'M PRAYING, GOD.

KEEP MY SISTER SAFE.

PLEASE HAVE HER CALL ME BACK.

SO THEN SHE CALLS ME BACK AND SHE STARTS TALKING TO ME.

I COULDN'T HELP HIM.

SHE RAN BACK.

THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU DO.

I KNOW YOU HELP PEOPLE BUT IN A SHOOTING THING LIKE THAT, SHE WAS LIKE, HE FELL DOWN.

I CAN'T HELP HIM.

ANYWAY AND SO THAT WAS AWFUL AND I FOUND OUT SHE WAS SAFE, BUT WHEN I SAW HER, SHE HAD BLOOD ON HER CLOTHING AND EVERYTHING AND MY HEART WAS LIKE...

IT WAS AWFUL.

I WAS OFF THAT DAY AND THEN THEY CALLED ME.

THIS WAS ON THANKSGIVING.

I HAD TO GO REPORT.

FOR FOUR AND A HALF HOURS I'M IN THE PARK AND THAT POOR YOUNG MAN WAS BEHIND ME.

YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES.

>> YEAH.

>> HE IS COVERED.

THERE IS TAPE.

THE FAMILY IS WAILING OVER HERE.

AND I'M LIKE KEEP IT TOGETHER.

WE HAD A YOUNG REPORTER AND SHE WAS LIKE, I CAN'T DO THIS AND I SAID YOU CAN DO THIS.

AND SHE SAID I'M GOING CRY.

I SAID GUESS WHAT?

I'M GOING TO CRY, TOO, YOU KNOW WHAT?

BECAUSE THERE IS A YOUNG MAN THROOFT HIS LIFE.

I'M GOING TO CRY.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOT OF REPORTER FRIENDS THAT SAY, YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO CRY.

I DO IT MY WAY.

YOU DO IT YOUR WAY.

HOW ABOUT WE TRY THAT.

>> YOU ARE HUMAN, TOO.

>> I'M SORRY.

I THINK WE SHOULD CRY.

LIKE YOU TELL ME HOW YOU DON'T CRY OVER THIS.

I'M NOT GOING TO WAIL AND SOB BUT I'M GOING TO CRY.

I'M GOING GIVE THE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

AND SO FOR, I DON'T KNOW, FOUR AND A HALF HOURS OR MORE I HAD TO STAND OUT THERE AND IT WAS DIFFICULT.

IT WAS DONE.

I CAME BACK HOME AND THEN THE NEXT DAY, DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, I WAS NOT FEELING WELL.

THE WHOLE DAY.

I CAN REMEMBER SAYING TO WALT WHO RECENTLY PASSED OF CANCER.

HE LUGGED ME AND SAID WHAT IS GOING ON?

I SAID I DON'T FEEL WELL.

NOW MY MOTHER CALLED ME THAT DAY AND SAID BOY, YOU LOOK LIKE CRAP.

THANKS MOM.

THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO HEAR BEING ON TV.

SHE SAID YOU SHOULD PROBABLY GO HOME.

I SAID I DON'T FEEL GOOD BUT YOU KNOW ME, I'M NOT GOING TO GO HOME.

MY SON CALLED ME AND SAID I SAW YOU ON AIR TODAY.

YOU DON'T LOOK GOOD.

ARE YOU GOING HOME?

I SAID NO, I'M NOT GOING TO HOME.

I'M GOING TO FINISH MY DAY.

I HAD GONE HOME, I WOULD NOT BE HERE.

HAD I GOP HOME-- HAD I GONE HOME, NOBODY WOULD THERE BUT MY TWO STUPID DOGS AND THEY CAN'T CALL 911.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO I'M GLAD TO THAT I STAYED.

I HAD A SMALL CLOT IN MY BRAIN STEM AND EVERYBODY AT THE STATION WORKED QUICKLY.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE VIDEO.

I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE VIDEO.

I REMEMBER GOING IN AND I REMEMBER GOING GOD, I FEEL SO BAD.

AND I REMEMBER KEVIN DOING THE WEATHER AND I REMEMBER SAYING YOU CAN GET THROUGH AN HOUR... YOU CAN DO THAT IN YOUR SLEEP.

AND WHEN HE WENT OVER TO THE WEATHER, I SAID OH MAYBE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WORK FOR THIS.

AND I SAT DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND I KNOW KEVIN SAID HE WAS WONDERING WHAT THE HECK IS SHE DOING.

I COULDN'T STAND UP.

I SAT DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND I HEARD HIM GETTING READY TO FINISH AND I THOUGHT STAND UP.

AND SO I STOOD UP AND I DON'T REMEMBER ANYMORE.

SO MY DAUGHTER SAID SHE KNEW I WAS IN TROUBLE BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS SAYING.

AND WHEN MY KIDS ARE IN TROUBLE,,I DO THIS.

I START MOVING IN BECAUSE I WANT TO YOU HARE WHAT I'M SAYING.

AND I START BEGINNING TO TALK SOFTLY.

THAT'S HOW THEY KNOW THEY'RE IN TROUBLE AND SHE SAID I STARTED MOVING IN AND SHE WAS LIKE, MAMA IS PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS STORY BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE IS SAYING AND THEN SHE SAID MY HEAD HIT THE TABLE AND.

>> FOR THEM TO SEE THAT, TOO.

>> WELL THAT WAS BAD.

YEAH, NOW MY MOM AND DAD WERE ON THE WAY TO DINNER SO THEY DIDN'T SEE IT.

BUT I DON'T REMEMBER IT.

THE FIRST THING I REMEMBER IS I SAW LIKE A LIGHT, CEILING, LIGHT, CEILING.

I GUESS THAT'S WHEN I WAS ON THE STRETCHER BUT I WAS BLESSED BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY THE METROPOLITAN WHO WERE IN THE AMBULANCE WERE WATCHING.

AND THEY WERE OVER THERE IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.

I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF HAVING A STROKE.

>> THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE WHO WOULD GO THROUGH WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND STILL LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE.

THAT WERE YOU THERE AND IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND, BUT ALSO TO COME BACK AND KEEP GOING.

ANY ONE OF WHAT YOU HAVE FACED WOULD HAVE CAUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> I HAD FIVE MINUTES TO FIGURE IT OUT EXCEPT MY MOTHER LEANED OVER AND SAID I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE LONGER THAN FIVE MINUTES THIS TIME.

>> THAT TIME.

>> IT WAS NOT EASY AND I HAD A LITTLE BIT WHERE I'M TELLING YOU I PUT DEPRESSION ON LIKE A COAT.

I WRAPPED MYSELF IN IT FOR A MINUTE.

FOR A MINUTE.

>> MAYBE FIVE.

>> IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LONGER.

AND THE THERAPIST OVER AT FRASIER REHAB, THEY ARE NO JOKE.

LIKE ONE DAY I SAID THEY CAME IN AND SAID TIME FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY.

I SAID I DON'T FEEL GOOD TODAY.

I'M NOT DOING DOING IT IT AND THEY SAID OKAY.

WHAT SHOES ARE YOU PUTTING ON.

I SAID I'M NOT DOING THIS TODAY.

THEY SAID WE LIKE THESE SHOES.

THEY START PUTTING THEM ON MY FEET.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

I CAN'T USE MY LIMBS.

I CAN'T FIGHT THEM.

>> YOU ARE GOING.

>> SO THEY SWING MY LEGS OVER THE BED AND THEY ARE LIKE, OKAY.

WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.

WE'VE GOT AN HOUR OF WHATEVER.

AND WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

AND THEY PUT ME IN THAT CHAIR AND I'M LIKE, DOES ANYBODY HEAR I DON'T FEEL WELL.

DON'T EVER SAY THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A STROKE.

SIX PEOPLE WHOOSHED AND RUSHED IN, TOOK MY BLOOD, MY TEMPERATURE, EVERYTHING.

THEY SAID NO, SHE IS FINE.

AND ROLLED ME DOWN THERE.

>> GET TO WORK.

YOU HAVE BEEN HONORED MANY, MANY WAYS FOR HOW YOU HAVE GIVEN BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY.

>> AND I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.

>> MOST RECENTLY THOUGH, THE KENTUCKY HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD MUHAMMAD ALI HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD IN KENTUCKY.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

>> I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE KIND OF MOMENTS WHEN YOUR STOMACH COMES UP ALMOST OUT OF YOUR MOUTH AND THEN IT LETS ME KNOW I BETTER KEEP WORKING AND I BETTER KEEP WORKING HARD BECAUSE THERE IS STILL SO MUCH TO DO.

>> WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?

>> I DON'T KNOW IT DEPENDS ON WHAT I SEE.

I MOVE FOR WHAT I SEE.

CERTAINLY A RECIPE TO END HUNGER WILL KEEP WORKING UNTIL HUNGER IS GONE.

AND WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

I MEAN THAT'S HOW I MOVE.

I MOVE WHERE THE NEED IS.

AND IT SEALS LIKE WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP.

I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO ADD ON LOVE WE HAVE GOT TO-- WE HAVE GOT TO STOP THIS VIOLENCE AND THIS HATE.

AND I FIGURE IF YOU CAN HATE ME FOR NO REASON, THEN I CAN LOVE YOU FOR NO REASON AND WE'VE GOT TO LEARN TO LOVE.

♪ ♪ WE HAVE GOT TO LEARN TO LOVE IS ALLOWED AS PEOPLE HATE.

>> WHAT AN INCREDIBLE STORY.

YOU CAN WATCH, SHARE AND STREAM THIS EPISODE AND ALL OF OUR EPISODES ONLINE ANY TIME AT ket.org/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE" AND DAWNE HAD MORE TO TELL US ABOUT YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.

YOU CAN HEAR HER RECOUNT SOME OF HER MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS WITNESSING HISTORY LIKE WHEN SHE GOT TO CARRY THE OLYMPIC TORCH THROUGH LOUISVILLE.

YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THAT AINSTAGRAM AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR TAKING A LITTLE TIME TO GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪