Jeff Herrin's Medical Expenses Fundraiser
Donation protected
Jeff Herrin, the editor of the Rocky Mount Telegram from @1991 to 2018, was an expert at telling the stories that weave the who, what and where of our community and its people.
Since retirement, Jeff has been living a quiet story, fighting colon cancer. He was diagnosed with colon cancer several years ago, and he thought it was gone. But the cancer, the scourge that it is, thought it would be nice to interrupt Jeff's retirement plans and launched a harsh comeback. We're initiating this campaign to help the Herrin family with medical expenses stemming from his brave and valiant fight with cancer. His wife, Susan, and two grown kids, Jake and Lindsay, have given their all to help Jeff win the fight. And if love could kill cancer, it'd have no chance against the Herrin family. But to attempt to beat cancer -- you've got to have good doctors, good surgeons and good drugs. Like millions of families have learned, cancer is expensive.
Jeff was one of the best newspaper editors you'll ever come across. What was his secret? What was his recipe to getting these stories and compiling such a long beautiful legacy that tells about the heart of our community for more than 20 years?
It took consistency. He showed up every day, ready to put out an award-winning newspaper. He put as much effort in covering the graduation ceremony of GED students as he did in covering a national newsworthy murder trial.
He consistently treated ALL people with respect. He truly wanted to hear the story of the local Christmas tree farmer as much as he wanted to cover a visit of the governor.
More than anything, he treated the people who worked with him with respect and, really, love. He's said many times, there was something different about working at the Telegram -- it wasn't always perfect, mistakes weren't uncommon, but coworkers felt more like "family" than colleagues - especially his reporters. Many, fresh out of college, were especially influenced by his steady hand; his insistence on fairness; and good journalism ethics and his high standards. He loved listening to their ideas and seeing our community through their eyes. It was always a pain when they were ready to move on -- it meant he would have to start training all over again -- but deep down, he always loved to see his reporters move on to bigger and better things.
The other main ingredient Jeff used for telling the stories of our community -- his authentic feelings for the Twin Counties. He believed in the community and the neighborhoods on which he reported. He rooted for them. He mourned with them. He celebrated with them.
To Jeff, there was always a good story to tell. Sure, we had to report the crime stories, the wrecks, the arrests, the bear sightings. (Biggest. Story. Ever.) But Jeff found great joy in telling the stories of volunteers doing good things; kids winning spelling bees; farmers and their crops; teachers making a difference; state championships; and kids winning contests for prize pigs. All of those stories seemed small at the time. But when you look at 20-plus years of telling them, these small town stories, it's a giant history book of the most important things.
Love.
Teamwork.
Neighbors.
Community.
Jeff gave so much to his coworkers and this community.
Let's give back.
"Now there's a beautiful river, in the valley ahead..."
-- Bruce Springsteen, from 'If I Should Fall Behind'
Since retirement, Jeff has been living a quiet story, fighting colon cancer. He was diagnosed with colon cancer several years ago, and he thought it was gone. But the cancer, the scourge that it is, thought it would be nice to interrupt Jeff's retirement plans and launched a harsh comeback. We're initiating this campaign to help the Herrin family with medical expenses stemming from his brave and valiant fight with cancer. His wife, Susan, and two grown kids, Jake and Lindsay, have given their all to help Jeff win the fight. And if love could kill cancer, it'd have no chance against the Herrin family. But to attempt to beat cancer -- you've got to have good doctors, good surgeons and good drugs. Like millions of families have learned, cancer is expensive.
Jeff was one of the best newspaper editors you'll ever come across. What was his secret? What was his recipe to getting these stories and compiling such a long beautiful legacy that tells about the heart of our community for more than 20 years?
It took consistency. He showed up every day, ready to put out an award-winning newspaper. He put as much effort in covering the graduation ceremony of GED students as he did in covering a national newsworthy murder trial.
He consistently treated ALL people with respect. He truly wanted to hear the story of the local Christmas tree farmer as much as he wanted to cover a visit of the governor.
More than anything, he treated the people who worked with him with respect and, really, love. He's said many times, there was something different about working at the Telegram -- it wasn't always perfect, mistakes weren't uncommon, but coworkers felt more like "family" than colleagues - especially his reporters. Many, fresh out of college, were especially influenced by his steady hand; his insistence on fairness; and good journalism ethics and his high standards. He loved listening to their ideas and seeing our community through their eyes. It was always a pain when they were ready to move on -- it meant he would have to start training all over again -- but deep down, he always loved to see his reporters move on to bigger and better things.
The other main ingredient Jeff used for telling the stories of our community -- his authentic feelings for the Twin Counties. He believed in the community and the neighborhoods on which he reported. He rooted for them. He mourned with them. He celebrated with them.
To Jeff, there was always a good story to tell. Sure, we had to report the crime stories, the wrecks, the arrests, the bear sightings. (Biggest. Story. Ever.) But Jeff found great joy in telling the stories of volunteers doing good things; kids winning spelling bees; farmers and their crops; teachers making a difference; state championships; and kids winning contests for prize pigs. All of those stories seemed small at the time. But when you look at 20-plus years of telling them, these small town stories, it's a giant history book of the most important things.
Love.
Teamwork.
Neighbors.
Community.
Jeff gave so much to his coworkers and this community.
Let's give back.
"Now there's a beautiful river, in the valley ahead..."
-- Bruce Springsteen, from 'If I Should Fall Behind'
Organizer and beneficiary
Jenny White
Organizer
Rocky Mount, NC
Susan Herrin
Beneficiary