Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible moms out there. Mine is caring, compassionate, creative, patient, intelligent, entertaining, and full of faith. We are so lucky to have her in our lives, and I’m grateful for every moment.
We also recently celebrated a big birthday for my father — the medical music man — who has always been an incredible role model and someone who gives everything he has to help others. He’s saved so many lives and does it all with a smile.
Through all of life’s highs and lows, they are always there supporting our family and this community.
Family is everything, and these two make it easy to believe that. Shout out to all the positive role models out there leading by example and living life the right way.
And a special shoutout to my sister and sister-in-law for being amazing moms to my nieces and nephews.
A Tribute to Rob
Where do we start? Rob Sweeting was a mentor and a friend. Sure, I grew up watching him on the news every night. He always seemed so cool.
Then, in college, I was able to land an internship at WJXT. It was a whole new world—one I only knew from the outside. But a few people really took me under their wing, and Rob Sweeting was at the top of that list. Sure, he was a main anchor at the flagship station, but he took an interest in little old me. He believed in me, he built me up, and he taught me so much. Soon, I was producing many of his nightly stories. It felt like a lot of pressure at the time, but he was always cool and collected.
A few years later, I had the privilege of working with him full-time. I was the rookie reporter on his shows, trying not to fumble. He was always encouraging. Always building his team up. Before long, we were hitting the road together, traveling on the campaign trail. He was next to me the first time I anchored sports on the station (it was an abominable performance.) He was there for the milestones.
Rob was just a good guy. My family had the chance to meet him (here he is singing to my mom), and being around him felt like being with family. He later retired and moved out of town, but he still called and texted to tell me how proud he was. He’d stop by the newsroom, cause a little ruckus, and make himself right at home like he never left.
Rob was a solid journalist, but more importantly, he was a fair one. He didn’t take sides—he cared about doing what was right for people.
Last week, we learned his health had taken a turn for the worse, and he had been admitted to the hospital. Several of us had the privilege of stopping by to see him. He couldn’t talk, but he appeared to listen. As ill as he was, he opened his eyes and seemed to respond to the stories.
The medical team, many of whom also grew up watching him, took great care of him. This afternoon, he passed away.
Rob’s greatest investment was people. I know my story isn’t unique. He just cared for people. And for that, I’ll forever be grateful, hoping to carry on his encouragement. Be like Rob, friends!
Great catching up with our friend @petersantenello — one of America’s great storytellers.
His piece with @jaxsheriff@t.k._waters reached nearly 8 million people around the world and sparked conversations that truly mattered.
Hard to believe it all started with a random DM where I asked him to ride along with us. Grateful he said yes.
You can find the full story on YouTube…and definitely subscribe to follow his work.
Mission Medellín: Reaching the Unreached
I just got back from an incredible opportunity to connect with wonderful people in the barrios outside Medellín, Colombia.
Thanks to your help, we were able to deliver more than 30,000 pounds of food to 200+ families right before Christmas. We also shared smiles, danced, and learned about each other’s cultures.
I joined the board of @rtu_usa more than a year ago, and we’ve since held two successful fundraisers where many of you, our friends, helped raise awareness. It finally worked out for us to visit and spend time with the people we’ve been connecting with.
Our organization helps provide food security, medical assistance, English classes, and anti–human trafficking efforts for wonderful children and families.
This isn’t a photo op. It isn’t a handout. It’s about building sustainable solutions in neighborhoods with limited resources. And yes, it goes both ways. We made friends who reminded us of the true priorities in life; ones that don’t involve material things.
We hope to continue to grow and return soon. We also hope you’ll support our friends and get involved in something that truly makes a difference.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐢
When asked, "𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝑱𝑺𝑯𝑪 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒐 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒇𝒖𝒍?," Vic responded:
As a former patient who benefitted from speech therapy, I know it can make a difference in lives. This is a critical part of our community as we help others communicate better, opening the door for success. #JaxSpeechHear #shcjax #speechandhearingcenter #MeetOurBoard #MeetUsMonday #meetourboardmembers #meetourboardmonday #meetourboardofdirectors #boardmemberspotlight #BoardService #jacksonvillenonprofit #jacksonvillehearingaids #jacksonvillespeechtherapy
Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center helped me when I was a kid struggling with a speech impediment. I'm grateful for my parents and the speech language pathologists who made a difference - leading to my careers as TV anchor and reporter, DJ, MC, and public safety communicator.
Today, I'm proud to be on the Board of Directors for @jaxspeechhear - the same organization that helped me decades ago.
Give the gift of communication to local families. Consider helping this Giving Tuesday as we are receiving matching donations at SHCJAX.org. Thanks @katienjeffries for the video.
What exactly do you do?
I hear that a lot, so here’s a quick explainer. It’s a privilege that started with a hope, a dream, and a vision. A year and a half ago, I made a big jump from a long and exciting career in TV news and took a risk by joining the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The goal? To improve how we communicate with the people we serve.
We officially launched the Strategic Communications section last November — and expanded it in July as the mission and demand grew. I’m blessed to lead this brand-new area, which is organized into four parts: Digital Communications, Multimedia, Media Relations, and Marketing Communications. Our team consists of multimedia specialists, media relations officers, and other communications professionals who make all of this possible. I’m grateful for them every day.
We serve a city of nearly a million people and support more than 3,600 officers and civilian employees. There are amazing first responders to highlight and big challenges to communicate clearly and transparently. It’s an around-the-clock job with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows — but it’s worth it.
We’ve seen huge growth on the direct-to-consumer digital side. We produce videos and host events for the community. We’ve welcomed journalists from around the world to showcase the good our officers and civilians do. We’re part of prime-time shows to be released soon. We’ve expanded our services to both local media and new media.
All to communicate better.
All to reach more people, more effectively.
All to keep the community safe.
We do it for our city, our visitors, and our officers and employees.
This work has boosted morale, recruiting, and awareness. We’ve used digital platforms to solve crimes and find missing people. It also helps save tax dollars by reducing the need for additional resources.
There are good days and bad days. We’ve grown considerably. And we won’t stop until we’re the best.
We are JSO Strat Com.
Thank you, Sheriff Waters and staff, for the opportunity to build something from scratch.
What a win! Fun Jags season so far with public safety communications. Our team works around the clock to keep everyone at the stadium safe and I’m honored to help spread the word. Full circle from reporting on the sidelines back in the day. Let’s go #Jaguars!
✨ Meet Our MC & Board Member ✨
We are honored to have Vic Micolucci as the Master of Ceremonies for this Friday’s Reviving Hope fundraiser! 🎤
Vic is not only an award-winning journalist and trusted voice in our community, but also a proud board member of Reaching the Unreached. His passion for uplifting children and families aligns perfectly with our mission to break the cycle of poverty and bring hope to those in need.
Join us Friday, September 26th, 7–10 PM at SIP on the Roof (above Decca) for a night of small plates, live music by Caribe Groove, a silent auction, and the chance to support children around the world. 🌍💙
🎟️ Tickets & details in bio.
#RevivingHope #ReachingTheUnreached #JacksonvilleEvents #GiveBack #HopeInAction
A few moments with my guys in Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Capri, Caserta (family and best Pizza in the World), Pompeii, Napoli e Roma!
Che bello avere l’opportunità di portare dei cari amici a casa in Italia. Grazie per l’ospitalità famiglia @zep_zurf@fiorediicampo@__marmalade.___ ❤️🇮🇹🤝
