 |
| CityPulse science and technology specialist, CablePulse24 news anchor, host of CityTV’s HomePage and author of Canadian bestseller Shuttle, David Onley is constantly in the spotlight. He’s also been inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame for his on-going contribution to advancing the causes of people with disabilities and is the recipient of the Clarke Institute’s “Courage to come back award” for his determination in his battle against the effects of polio. Solutions sat down with David to talk about work, family and caregiving. |
Q: You’re very passionate about your work. What keeps your adrenaline going?
I never know what will happen next; my work is rapid fire. It’s definitely not the job for someone who likes a predictable schedule. News by definition is new information and that is what I handle every day. There is a real buzz when there is breaking news and it’s amazing to be the first to know what’s happening. For example, when the Uptown Theatre in Toronto collapsed, we watched it all unfold. That is the most exciting part. We won a Radio-Television News Directors Association award for best breaking news coverage for that story.
Q: What qualities help you to manage the thinking-on-your-feet aspect of your job?
When you are reporting, you need to make sure you answer six basic questions: who, what, when, where, how, and why. Also, if you want to be on the air, you must have a broad, general knowledge base. You may not be an expert in anything, but you need to know a little about a lot.
Q:Your resume is impressive: a Bachelor from the University of Toronto, law school, writer, science and technology specialist, and media personality. How did your career come together?
Science and technology have always been my passion. More specifically I have always been fascinated by space. When I was 11 years old, I knew I wanted to be on TV covering space stories, but I didn’t think it was possible because I never had any role models. I had polio when I was three and there wasn’t anyone on TV who had a disability.
So with plans to follow in my father’s footsteps and head into law, I completed a degree in political science at the University of Toronto–Scarborough College and found I had a passion for politics. I then went on to law school in Windsor, Ontario, and I hated every minute of it. But I have never worked as hard in my entire life as I did that year, and it has become the bar by which I measure everything I do by. The worst it has ever been since then measures up to just 85 per cent of my year in law school.
After leaving law school, I did a career counselling analysis that revealed I should go into media—a big surprise. Instead, I decided I was going to write a novel about the space program. Shuttle became a Canadian bestseller and led to me being a expert in the field of space. When the weather spot opened up on CityTV in the fall of 1984, Moses Znaimer approached me and said he wanted me to take the spotI have now been there 20 years and had four different positions. I have covered space stories in every one.
Q: What roles do your family and religion play in your life?
Ruth, my wife of 22 years, is an amazing woman, and she is the love of my life. We have three boys: Jonathan, 20, Robert, 17, and Michael, 14. They have some very similar interests—sports, video games—but also are completely different in many ways. As a parent that can be challenging and interesting. I have wondered what it will be like for them to grow up with a father who had a disability and is on TV. But it really hasn’t been a big deal. That is just the way it is, it is the only way they know me.
As for religion, I am a born-again Christian, though I hesitate to use that phrase, because it is so misunderstood. It means that my faith is an active part of my daily life and thought process. Living with the daily realities of having a physical disability can eat you up and make you bitter and frustrated. It has forced me to examine the question “why?” My strong faith really resulted from me coming to terms with reality.
Q: How do you spend your time when you are not working?
I have started working on a new novel, and I am dedicating some time every morning to write. If I write a page a day, five days a week, then after one year, I’ll have 250 pages. That’s a new book.
I also enjoy reading. I like historical fiction and “what-might-have-been scenarios.” And I like to watch movies. One of my favourites is Signs. I find it particularly relevant to my life. The main idea is to suppose that there are no coincidences, that everything happens for a reason. If I have 10 free minutes, I’ll often turn on Signs and watch the last few scenes.
Q: How do you keep healthy?
Polio left me with a lack of upper body strength and an inability to walk far. I am unable to exercise to the level of burning off fat, so it is easy to put on extra weight. About three years ago, I discovered the Bernstein diet. It was a transforming process. I lost a net of 25 pounds. Anytime I start putting on more weight, I use that. It is initially very strict: you need to drink lots of water and avoid specific foods. It is based on the idea that we don’t drink enough water or eat enough vegetables and we eat too many incidental sweets. I feel a lot healthier because of it.
I also have post-polio fatigue, which is like chronic fatigue. It is manageable as long as I watch my energy expenditure. Being 25 pounds lighter helps.
Q: Have you been involved in caringfor a parent?
Very much so. The last year-and-a-half has been a period of great transition for my mother: from finding that she was less able to manage in her condo on her own, to having home care come and help, to transferring her from the condo to a retirement residence. It is hard for mom because she is in good health but has declining perceptual abilities. If you can’t see the numbers on the stove dial then you need someone to help you. The residence has varying degrees of assisted living and a great staff.
Q: Are you finding more people in the same boat?
So many in the boomer generation are finding themselves caught between the needs of their aging parents and their growing children, between increasing independence and increasing dependence. It is a lot. It really isn’t an easy situation to go from having a relationship as mom and kid to being the one making decisions that you know are best.
Lots of people in the newsroom are going through the same thing. So when it is necessary for someone to take time off because of it, people are sympathetic and understanding. Also, it’s great to share experiences.
Caring for a parent is a huge responsibility, one that I wish wasn’t necessary, but it is. But it is a privilege too. It feels kind of good to have the opportunity to return the favour. n