Tori Yorgey can only be classified as a true professional.
The 25-year-old reporter for West Virginia’s WSAZ-TV was struck by a car during a live broadcast, but quickly brushed herself off and continued to engage with the camera.
According to NBC News, Yorgey was reporting on a water main break Wednesday evening, when an SUV appeared on screen, hitting her and throwing her forward toward the camera.
But her live footage shows her bounce right up, saying, “Oh my God. I just got hit by a car, but I’m OK,” as the camera topples to the ground.
"We're good, Tim." pic.twitter.com/9kn2YElDLK
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 20, 2022
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“That’s live TV for you, it’s all good. I actually got hit by a car in college too just like that, I’m so glad I’m OK,” she added off-camera.
“My whole life just flashed before my eyes but this is live TV and everything is OK.”
News anchor Tim Irr appeared in a split-screen as the collision happened, but explained on Twitter Thursday that he wasn’t privy to her camera feed, and instead just heard the commotion in his ear piece.
Half wish I could’ve seen it actually happen… half grateful I didn’t. Rather than stunned, I might have been frantic for her. Just glad she’s ok.
— Tim Irr (@WSAZirr) January 20, 2022
The driver who struck the reporter was quick to check on her, pulling over and engaging with Yorgey moments after it happened.
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“Ma’am, you are so sweet, and you are OK,” Yorgey can be heard telling the driver.
The accident happened during Yorgey’s last week on the job. She posted to Facebook last week that she’s leaving WSAZ to take a reporting job in her home state of Pennsylvania.
“People in this Tri-State are truly amazing, some of the sweetest I’ve ever met. From offering me coffee on cold days, to helping carry my equipment — I always say the kindest people live here, and it’s true,” she wrote in her goodbye message.
During the live shot, Yorgey described herself as being a “one-woman band,” meaning she didn’t have a camera operator or photographer with her while she did the live shot.
Some journalism professionals have expressed their disdain for the news station, saying journalists should not be doing live hits alone.
My goodness so glad she’s okay. So many things wrong here & it starts with making a reporter do live shots alone in the dark & in the rain. It ends with the producer not going away from her to allow her to gather herself before she starts talking again. Jesus she was hit by a car https://t.co/qyClcXmgaW
— Kristen Holloway (@KHollowayWSB) January 20, 2022
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I have so many questions: why would a reporter be sent out to do a solo live shot at night and in the street?
Why did the anchor have such a deadpan reaction and the shot stay on this woman who just got hit by a car?
— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) January 20, 2022
The Today Show reports that Yorgey went to hospital to get checked out, and is doing fine. She has not addressed the accident on her social media accounts.
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