Note From the Editor: Being Human

From the Executive Editor & Founder, Jaime Bairaktaris

There is a human behind the scenes here. It’s - truly - just me at the moment.

After these few months of working independently, I’m more sure on what the future is for The Westport Local Press; a wonderful experience filled with beautiful photos, a wider scope of coverage, and more consistent content on media like Instagram. It’s filled with other photographers and writers, thinkers and creators.

But sometimes, like this weekend, I’m reminded that it really is just me. And sometimes, like this weekend, I get emails about why I missed a story.

Yesterday hundreds of members of our community lined the driveway to the YMCA building to support a six year old boy being moved into hospice care. The boy is a recipient of a Make a Wish foundation wish, and his wish was to swim at the YMCA, enjoy a pizza party, and to pet a bearded dragon.

The call for people to support him spread like wildfire in a town filled with people who care about others. After hundreds reacted to the post, it was clear that our community would support this little boy and his family with as many cheers, posters, claps, balloons, and people as possible.

A commenter described a request for no news coverage. I took a moment to reflect on how this story would work on The Westport Local Press - what purpose it would serve.

At the end of the day, any story I write would not make that boy any happier. The purpose of the day was for him to feel the love of the strangers around him, for his family to feel the love of the strangers around him, and for him to eat his pizza, swim in the pool, and pet a bearded dragon. Nothing I could write will provide those things.

So I put my camera away, put my phone in my pocket, and I walked to the side of the roadway to await the boy’s arrival.

As the limousine pulled up to the driveway, I recognized the crowd around me feel the weight of the moment. Hundreds of families, firefighters, police officers, sports teams, and YMCA staff members all clapping and cheering - balloons raised and posters waving.

And there I was, waving and cheering with them as the boy’s small face poked out from the window of the passing limousine.

I felt the weight of mothers explaining to their children that it wasn’t his birthday. I felt the weight of the people whose masks were absorbing their tears. I felt the weight from the power of our community, and I felt the weight of a little boy’s simple wish for a pool, a pizza, and a bearded dragon.

Sometimes it’s not possible to feel that weight with a camera in-hand.

Sometimes I’m reminded that I’m human, and I miss a story.

This was one that I did not miss. I experienced it with so many of you. I felt the weight.