LaTrice Currie
To watch the story, beautifully photographed by Lee Broome,, CLICK HERE!
UPDATE, Feb. 24, 2020:
On August 25, 2019, we almost lost LaTrice Currie. My friend and WRCB co-worker of almost 25 years, suffered a medical emergency that almost took her life. Doctors say she “coded” five times in a two-day period. In addition to a blood clot and a pulmonary embolism, there was severe internal damage due to compressions that were performed to save her life.
She is returning to work this week after one month of being “totally out of it,” a couple of months of recovery and physical rehabilitation, and 3 months of regaining her strength and stamina.
Since many of you have asked about her, here is her story, as told by LaTrice, her friends Deidre Clack, Tonya Mahlahla,and Yolanda Spraggins Wilson, and her father James Currie.
LaTrice: “I had a blood clot on that Sunday morning. I was getting ready for church. I remember falling in the kitchen. I was trying to get my bearings, and thankfully I had my phone. I reached out and called my friend Deidre. I told her something was wrong, I didn’t know what was going on. The room was spinning. She kept me on the phone and called 9-1-1.
Deidre: “We were about to leave for church when she called. If I hadn’t seen her name on the caller ID, I wouldn’t have known it was her. It didn’t sound like her. I thought she said, “Help me,” but I could barely understand her. I kept saying her name, and then she didn’t respond. I was freaking out, and I told my husband to call 9-1-1.”
LaTrice: “I knew the EMT’s would be coming, and I was afraid they wouldn’t be able to open the door. I somehow managed to get to the door, although I fell, and cut my face. I remember someone grabbing my hand, and touching my face. I remember them putting me in the ambulance, and that’s the last thing I remember for about three weeks.”
Tonya: “We got her to the hospital, and they immediately put her in the Critical Care Unit. The doctor said she was by far the sickest patient in the hospital. We knew we had to call her dad, and he was in Nashville. He’s 81 years old, but very strong.
James Currie: Deidre called, and she said LaTrice is very sick. You need to come NOW! I couldn’t believe it. I had just visited her two days earlier, and she was fine. She eats right, she exercises, how could anything be wrong with LaTrice? This happened on Sunday August 25th. My wife had passed a year ago, almost to the day. I said to God, you can’t do this to me. I’ve lost my wife, I can’t lose my daughter I can’t take it! So when I got there and saw her condition, she had already undergone one surgery, and I was told there would be many more. I just started praying. They prepared us for the worst.”
Deidre: “For about three weeks, she was unresponsive. We almost lost her several times. They even thought she had a heart attack once, but she didn’t. Finally, one day I went in, and she was sitting up. She recognized me, she recognized her daddy. We weren’t sure whether it had affected her brain, so that was a blessing. A few days later she was sitting up working on a crossword puzzle. She was trying to eat, and was sipping on some juice. I’m like, wow, God, you heard our prayers.”
James: “She’s a fighter. A lot of people don’t know that, but she’s always been a fighter. She was determined to get well. Those physical therapists, they would tell her to walk up and down the hall two times, she would do it four times.”
LaTrice: “The nurses said I would light up like a Christmas tree when my daddy walked in. If he wasn’t there, I would ask about him. He is my rock.”
James: “People use the word miracle a lot. I actually saw a miracle happen with my own eyes. I saw her crying once. She said Daddy, even if I get out of here, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do anything. I said honey, God brought you this far, and he didn’t do that to just leave you here. God will take care of you.”
LaTrice: “If there’s any doubt in your heart about miracles, you’re looking at a walking, living, breathing miracle. People sent cards saying, “I’m praying for you.” I felt each and every prayer. I hope one of the things that comes out of this is, I’m just one example. If you know someone who needs help, I want you to dig down and say that same prayer you sent for me, let’s send it up for them as well. Miracles do happen!”
To watch the video story, CLICK HERE!
(PREVIOUS STORY):
UPDATE October 18, 2019: Great news: After spending 54 days in intensive care and physical rehabilitation following a medical emergency in August, LaTrice Currie is back home! She has made amazing progress in recent weeks and will continue outpatient therapy at home. She is so excited to be home, and said she enjoyed her scenic ride. She’s looking forward to resuming a normal life as soon as she is able, and says she misses her friends at WRCB….but not nearly as much as we miss her! Thanks again to all of you who have sent prayers and positive thoughts her way.
LaTrice Currie has been uppermost in my mind for more than a month now. If you watch me on TV, you know that LaTrice has been a dear friend and co-worker for more than 24 years. In the newsroom, our desks are side-by-side, so we have long shared our ups and downs, our family stories, and our inside jokes.
In late August, she experienced a medical emergency that has turned her life upside down. She has been in intensive care, as of this writing, for more than a month. LaTrice and her family are not 100 percent sure of what happened, and hospitals are very tight-lipped, citing patient privacy.
It really doesn’t matter whether you or I know why the cause of her sudden illness. The medical time. Hopefully, she will be out of intensive care soon, and can begin an extensive rehabilitation program designed to bring her back to our newsroom, and to your TV screen.
Quite frequently I’m asked, “Is so-and-so the same in person as he or she is, on TV?” With LaTrice, I can give you an enthusiastic “yes.” When I visited her recently, her nurse told me that she was not familiar with LaTrice until she began treating her. LaTrice has been rather subdued while battling her way back from illness. “She’s been pretty quiet, and I know she’s not herself right now,” the nurse said. “What’s she usually like?”
“Well,” I responded. “LaTrice is the light of our lives, the sunshine. Her clothes are bright, her smile is constant, and her laughter is loud and contagious.” We often joke that our studio is supposed to be soundproof, so that you can’t hear outside noises while we bring you the news. The newsroom adjoins the studio, and quite often during the noon hour commercial breaks, LaTrice’s laughter seeps through the “soundproof” walls into our newsroom. “What’s going on in there?” someone will say. “It’s just LaTrice, having a good time!” is the answer.
During her absence, we have often noted among ourselves the irony of what is happening. No one is more informed about health than LaTrice, who has reported on that topic for two decades. She knows every doctor in town, and has covered every illness. She is in excellent shape. Even in a profession that often requires us to grab fast food on the run, she eats right. She exercises as soon as she gets off work. Frankly, in my uneducated opinion , her fitness may have played a part in saving her from whatever tried to take her down.
As soon as we began informing our viewers and readers that LaTrice would be away for a while, the get-well cards, wishes, and prayers started pouring in. LaTrice knows that she is loved, and she is a woman of great faith. She lost her mother a year ago, but her father has been a solid rock, looking after his only daughter. Her other family members, including her son AJ, who had just left for college when she got sick, have also been remarkably strong and supportive.
During my visit, LaTrice wanted to make sure we were getting by without her at the TV station. You see, LaTrice quietly does the job of three people, and never complains about it. She just gets it done. When I told her which three people are now doing her job, she said to be sure and thank them. One of them is Calvin Sneed, our former competitor, who offered to interrupt his retirement to fill in for LaTrice at the anchor desk until she can return. Calvin, who normally travels the country photographing bridges, said, “I love LaTrice. I’ve had all kinds of chances to do some sort of work, but I’d only do this for her.”
I’m happy to report she is out of intensive care, after more than five weeks. She is undergoing physical therapy and rehabilitation, and has made amazing progress in recent days. She is in great spirits, and is very appreciative of your cards, prayers, and positive thoughts. LaTrice said, “I am so thankful for your outpouring of support. I’m starting to feel like “me” again, thanks to all of you, plus the wonderful medical workers who have helped me heal. I am working hard to regain my strength, and I look forward to returning to work, when the time is right. Believe me when I say, prayers do work, and miracles do happen.”
Hey LATRICE: WISHING YOU MORE MORE AND MORE LOVE TO HEAL YOUR SPIRIT GREATER, SO YOUR BODY WILL BE YOUR LIFE PRESERVER BREATHING IN AND OUT BIBLE VERSES IS MY PRAYER TO AND FOR YOU LATRICE.
LaTrice, have prayed for each morning and at noon and at night… I am so thankful and praise my Lord that you are healing and soon to be coming back to work….. My prayer is for a total healing. I love you, Lady, you are an inspiration with your sweet, wonderful smile and your friendness to us all. Praise God.
Hey LaTrice,So glad you are doing so well. Thank the good lord that he is taking care of you.May prayers are with you.God bless you.
Latrice,You are Bless pray that God continues to keep you in good health
We take life for granted this open my eyes,We should live our days as if they are our last ones and thank GOD for our Blessing! God be with you my Sister in Christ.
LaTrice, I am so happy and thankful that God spared your life and for this wonderful miracle!! I will continue to pray that you become stronger every day! We are so glad you are back!!
So glad God brought you back to us.
Latrice,
Thank you for sharing your story. I saw a living, breathing miracle with my son this past December after he coded in the NICU at 2 days old. The following weeks were terrifying as we dealt with his recovery and complications from his chest compressions. The power of prayer is amazing and stories like yours and his should give us all hope. I am so happy for your recovery and am thankful for your miracle.
It took a lot of courage to tell your story. Thank you. May you have peace and everyone’s prayers.
I have just relocated to the Chattanooga area. Chose Channel 3 news for information in this area. I have to say that LaTrice Currie is absolutely beautiful. Her reporting is excellent. Cannot say enough about her makeup, clothing and accessories. I look forward to seeing her each day. Had no idea she had been so sick. I wish her continued good health.