There is really no predicting what can go wrong while you are reporting live on television. From bad weather and rogue birds to pesky dogs and angry bystanders, reporters are used to several uninvited guests interrupting them as they communicate a vital piece of information on live television. But things went up a notch for a TV reporter in Dunbar, West Virginia, when she was knocked down by a car during a live broadcast. Tori Yorgey, a reporter at WSAZ-TV, was struck by a car while she was speaking to anchor Tim Irr who was at the studio. A video of the incident was shared on social media and has gone viral.
In the clip, Ms Yorgey was getting ready to report on a water main break in Dunbar when an SUV slammed into her, sending her and her camera crashing down.
Within seconds of being slammed into, Ms Yorgey can be heard saying, "I just got hit by a car, but I am okay, Tim," she said. Her assurance is overlapped by her colleague Tim Irr who added, “Wow, that's a first for you on TV, Tori.”
In response, Ms Yorgey said, “I'm okay, we are all good, you know, that is live TV for you.” She then went on to add, “I actually got hit by a car in college too just like that, I am so glad that I am okay." To this, Mr Irr reacted with just “wow.”
An unconvinced Mr Irr then asked, “Are you sure you are okay?” The woman, who was presumably driving the SUV, can be heard apologising to Ms Yorgey, who reiterates that she is fine.
"Were you bumped down low Tori or were you hit up high? I couldn't really tell from looking at you," Mr Irr continued to ask. To this, she said, “I don't even know Tim, my whole life just flashed before my eyes but this is live TV and everything is okay.”
The video was shared online by a user named Timothy Burke, who said, “We're good, Tim,” quoting Ms Yorgey.
Watch it here:
The clip, which was uploaded on Thursday morning, has recorded over 3.5 million views and has been liked 28,000 times. Praising the reporter, one user said, “Tori Yorgey, today, is the most positive thing I have seen on television in 2022.”
“‘I actually got hit by a car in college too.' LOL. Wow,” read a comment by author Matthew Betley.
Others were enraged that she was expected to keep reporting and the camera did not cut away. In a tweet, a viewer said, “Why did they not cut away after she got hit? She did a great job keeping it together but…she got hit by a car and was expected to keep reporting.”
“They should have immediately cut the feed,” another user stressed.
Many were even surprised by Mr Irr's rather stoic reaction.
As per a report by Huffington Post, Ms Yorgey was sent to the ER to get checked out after the accident. The report added that it appeared that Ms Yorgey was working alone and was handling everything single-handedly for the live segment. This included fixing the camera after it was knocked down during the accident.
