Today was the anniversary of one of the hardest days I’ve ever experienced. It’s not 3-Day related, but I need to get this out so I appreciate your indulgence.

While you might not remember it, you’ve probably heard about this day. It made national – even international – news. Pretty much everybody heard about it.

I work at a Phoenix television station. Like many stations in larges cities, 3TV has a helicopter. Had a helicopter.

Three years ago today, while covering a police chase in the middle of the day, NewsChopper 3 and a helicopter from another news station collided in mid-air over Central Phoenix. Two of my co-workers – photojournalist Jim Cox and pilot Scott Bowerbank – were killed, as were the pilot and photographer aboard the other chopper. They were on the air when the signal went to black on our station, static on the other. Four good men gone in an instant. And it all unfolded on live television.

It’s one thing to cover the news, but that day, 3TV was the news.

That night, while the community was still reeling from the crash – the helicopters went down in the middle of a park near the VA hospital — a Phoenix police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty. He was responding to a robbery call at a check-cashing store. Another good man gone in the blink of an eye.

This city was rocked to its core.

In the days that followed, the community came together in an amazing way. People – total strangers — flocked to the station armed with cards and flowers and food. Our lobby looked like a florist’s shop, our conference room like a specialty deli. The same was true of the crash site – flowers and candles and balloons (no food there). People’s compassion, their empathy, was on full display. And it was genuine. It was incredible to see, to experience.

The same was true of the 3TV newsroom. Everybody came together because we still had a job to do. To this day, I have never been more proud to work anywhere. 3TV is known as Arizona’s Family. I can give you a hundred reasons why that’s true, more than just a tagline. That day is like 50 of them.

I know in the time after the crash, many local news folks stopped to think about their choice of profession. For about 10 seconds. That’s how long it took them to realize something. Something important. The best way to honor our fallen colleagues – our friends – was to Keep Going®. Keep doing what we do every day – and do it to the best of our abilities. Of course, I didn’t label this epiphany Keep Going® at the time, but that’s what it was – is.

The five men who died on July 27, 2007, died doing what they love. For four of them, that was chasing news. For the fifth, it was protecting and serving his city.

The Keep Going® mentality isn’t just a catchy phrase and it’s not just for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. It can be applied to pretty much everything in life. It’s what helps us enjoy the good things and get through the bad. And there’s nothing more important.

Here’s to Jim and Scott and everybody who inspires us to Keep Going®. Thank you.