A TV news reporter who was hit by a car during a live broadcast three years ago reflected on the terrifying incident and revealed an industry secret in the process.
Tori Yorgey, who was a journalist at West Virginia’s WSAZ-TV, was filming a routine live shot on January 20, 2022.
She was seen looking into the camera and right as she was about to start talking to anchor Tim Irr, a car came out of nowhere and struck her in the back.
Yorgey and her camera fell to the ground and for a moment, Irr looked confused, almost as if he hadn’t seen what had just occurred.
It turns out, he really didn’t see it, according to a recent Instagram post from Yorgey.
‘Shoutout to cousin Mikey for reminding me yesterday was my ‘anniversary’ of this gem,’ Yorgey wrote. ‘Since so many of you are seeing this for the first time, please note that Tim could NOT SEE ME in the studio.’
Since anchors are typically looking at the camera or a teleprompter, instead of at the video feed of the live broadcast, they don’t often see the reporters who are being beamed into the studio.
Yorgey, who wasn’t seriously hurt from the collision, was stunningly able to jump right back up in seconds and get right back to work.
Pictured: The moment before Tori Yorgey was hit by a car during a live broadcast for West Virginia’s WSAZ-TV
The incident happened on January 20, 2022, and Yorgey reflected it last week in an Instagram post. Anchor Tim Irr is pictured on the left side of the split screen as Yorgey was hit
‘Oh my god! I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK. I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK, Tim,’ a shaken Yorgey could be heard saying.
Yorgey continued to assure Irr and viewers that she was OK even as she gathered herself to stand back up, and she even assured the driver who hit her that there was no problem, calling her ‘sweet’ for her concern.
Yorgey could be heard repeatedly saying ‘I’m OK’, while the camera that she had set up to film was knocked to the ground.
‘That’s live TV for you. It’s all good,’ Yorgey said off-camera to the driver who accidentally hit her. ‘I actually got hit by a car in college too, just like that. I’m so glad I’m OK.’
Shortly after the collision, Yorgey went on the air again – this time in the comfort of the news studio – and said she only had some minor soreness in her back.
‘Tim, you called me right after during commercial break,’ she said. ‘You are the WSAZ work dad, you care so much about everyone.’
Yorgey’s social media post elicited some strong reactions from the public and from other working journalists, both of whom were in disbelief that her level of professionalism was even possible.
Heather Schramm, who has been an assignment desk editor at WTOL 11 in Toledo, Ohio, for the past five years, was outraged at the studio staff behind the scenes, arguing that they shouldn’t have expected Yorgey to keep going
The reaction to Yorgey getting hit was mostly that of shock and disbelief at how resilient she was
‘I’m not sure I could have gone on report the news that calmly lol,’ one person wrote.
‘I’m hoping this is the LAST time you get hit by a car on life TV, but you took it like a champ!’ another person wrote.
Others continued to attack Irr for not looking concerned enough for Yorgey’s safety during the broadcast, even though she clarified that he couldn’t see her.
Heather Schramm, who’s been an assignment desk editor at WTOL 11 in Toledo, Ohio, for the past five years, was outraged at the studio staff behind the scenes, arguing that they shouldn’t have expected Yorgey to keep going.
‘As a former director and current newsroom manager, I am still appalled they hung on your shot. There is no way,’ Schramm commented.
‘I’m sorry you experienced this. I understand the anchor’s reaction. It’s a form of shock as well and trying to keep things together. The control room left you both out to dry.’
In her post, Yorgey said this happened two days before she was set to pack up and move to Pittsburgh, where she had a job lined up with ABC affiliate WTAE Hearst.
According to her LinkedIn, she stayed at that station for two years before transferring to NBC’s WBAL in Baltimore this month.
‘Happy to report I’m still OK and Tim is STILL the best “work” dad to me (even hundreds of miles away),’ she wrote in the caption.