Mark Zinni

Looking back to when I was a kid in Cleveland, Ohio, it was clear to my parents that I was interested in the news at a young age. When we got cable TV in the 1980s, I used to sit and watch CNN and I was fixated on everything from how the news was gathered to how it was presented.

It was fascinating to me back then and it still is today.

Since 2014, I've worked with this incredible team at Channel 3 Eyewitness News. You can see me weeknights on Eyewitness News from 4 to 6:30 and if you're still awake, you can get your top stories before bed on Eyewitness News at 11.

Like a lot of people in this business, I've won some awards over the past 24+ years but the best part of the job is meeting people who put their trust in us to share their stories.

For me, I will always remember a special boy when I worked in Cleveland. Dylan was 12-years-old and had a rare cancer. He was a huge wrestling fan and he wanted to meet John Cena. After a few phone calls, we made it happen at a local hospital. Dylan was so happy and it was a tremendous honor to be part of that memory with his family before he passed away. It was so emotional for all of us, including John Cena who couldn't have been kinder.

Over the years, I got to work as an anchor and reporter in several places. I was an intern at WKYC in Cleveland and The TODAY Show in New York. But my first "paying" job was at WICU in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1997 where I worked as a producer and reporter. In 1998, I moved to West Virginia where I worked at WTOV for almost five years.

Fast-forward to 2003 when I moved to Rhode Island and joined the team at WPRI as a reporter and morning anchor. I immediately fell in love with New England! The people, the food, the beaches, everything!

But in 2009, an unexpected opportunity presented itself and I moved home to Cleveland. I was offered a job at the station we watched as a family when I was growing up. It was a dream come true to be working in the newsroom at WJW. I got to cover so many stories in my community over those years, it was an incredible experience with some of the best people in the business.

Life has a funny way of shaking things up.

In 2014, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and after my surgery and treatment at the Cleveland Clinic, I suddenly felt like I needed a change. I needed something new both personally and professionally. My husband is from New England and we wanted to come back to this part of the country. It was the hardest decision because of my job, my friends and my family back home, but it was also the easiest decision because of the opportunity to work at Channel 3 Eyewitness News.

In the fall of 2014, I joined the team here and it's an honor to be at this station. The history, the people, the viewers. It's not lost on me and I thank you for watching.

These jobs are temporary and I appreciate having it right now. I sincerely thank you for watching and supporting all of us at Channel 3 Eyewitness News.

By the way, we live in Old Saybrook with our dog, Ellie, so please say hello if you see us around town!