(DOUG JESSOP’S UTAH SUCCESS STORIES – ABC4 NEWS – SALT LAKE CITY, UT) Everyone has a story. Stories have power. They help us understand each other. I recently had the honor to sit down and do an extended interview with “the Godmother of Good Things Utah,” Nicea Degering for my weekly series, Jessop’s Journal.” You can watch the entire thirty-four minute interview by clicking here. This is a quick snippet from that interview.

DOUG- Was there a favorite interview over the last eighteen years? NICEA – So, this was before eighteen years. This was before Good Things Utah. I’d have to think about my GTU one’s because so many amazing, but Garth Brooks. DOUG – Really? NICEA – Doug I was young. I was so, so young. I didn’t listen to country music. I was the crime reporter and they sent me to interview Garth Brooks who had just sold out Central Park. Insane concert in the late nineties. He comes to Utah sells out five nights at the then Delta Center.

I went to the concert. He pulled me up for the encore. I held hands with Garth Brooks at the sold-out Delta Center on stage right before he sang “I’ve Go Friends in Low Places” and I was at the pinnacle of my career. Right there. I could have died and gone to heaven and been fine. I didn’t really know Garth Brooks and the impact that he had on country music and it was a moment I will never forget. DOUG – Virtual fist bump. NICEA – Right. Real quick. The end of that story. Four years ago. First time he had been back. Now Energy Solutions. I got to interview him. I see him. While they are putting his microphone on him, I said. I have a story for you. There was a little reporter in Salt Lake. Years ago. Two decades ago. She knew nothing about country music. He says, yes ma’am, yes ma’am. You not only told her what it was about. You took her on stage and held her hand to show her how it felt. And he goes, you still have a job. DOUG – Serious. NICEA – and so do you. You’re still singing. And we had a moment. We hugged. It was before COVID, thank heaven, it was before COVID. My favorite. My favorite connection because that’s what I do. I tell stories. I tell other people’s stories DOUG – Yeah. NICEA – He taught me about connection. Making a connection with a stranger. There was a, I don’t know you. I was there to do the interview, but I learned from Garth Brooks.

Stories have power. They help us understand each other. With another entry in Jessop’s Journal and Nicea Degering, I’m Doug Jessop, ABC4 News.

I strongly feel that “stories have power”. Chances are that if you are going through something, that someone else probably has as well. The shared experiences we humans have can help each other. That my friend makes the point that stories “help us understand each other.”

You don’t have to agree with everyone, but in my opinion, if people would take more time getting to knowing more about others and where they are coming from, we just might find out that we have more similarities than differences.

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Jessop’s Journal is something special when it comes to broadcast news. I have the honor of being able to do longer in-depth interviews that you don’t normally see with people from all walks of life.

A big shout out goes to my collaborator, Ed Wilets, who does a great job as my videographer/editor for all my stories. I invite you to watch each episode of Jessop’s Journal at www.ABC4.com/Journal and share these stories with your friends and neighbors.  Your feedback is always welcome at DJessop@abc4.com

Other episodes of Jessop’s Journal can be seen at www.ABC4.com/Journal and are made possible by the generous support of Rustico, Tailor Cooperative, JW Custom Hats, XLEAR and Ogden’s Own Distillery

You can see my positive business profiles called “Utah Success Stories” every Sunday in the ABC4 News at 10 p.m. or online at www.ABC4.com/Success

The story contains sponsored content.