Three Decades "In the Arms of Mother AP"

“When I think back about many of the events covered since I’ve been in the Hartford bureau, one, which may seem like ancient history to some of the young pups in news these days, stands out _ the L’Ambiance Plaza collapse in April of 1987. The reason it stands out is that it represents the epitome of member cooperation and is a great example of how AP mobilizes very quickly to cover a major news event, no matter where it is. The afternoon of the collapse we got first word in a phone call from WICC radio in Bridgeport which had reporters  at the the scene, minutes after the building collapse that killed 27 constructions workers. WICC stayed on the line providing color, details and important information that we were able to communicate to the world within minutes. We were able to get staffers there within a very short time and I pulled overnight duty at the scene for the week following. Of course by the time I got there it had become less of a rescue than a recovery operation, but somebody had to be there when they focused on pulling out the remains of the workers who had been buried by the tons of concrete and steel. It was sad to have to report on the nightly update of deaths which was my main duty, but I also was able to speak to anxious family members, gets quotes and contribute to the ongoing dramatic story.  It was a total team effort with scads of AP reporters and photographers brought in from New York and Boston. As for the picture attached, that’s me with my namesake, Trey Stephen Feica, the newest and third grandson, born on Aug. 5, 2008.. The other two are 14-year-old Evan and 12-year-old Aidan. I hope to spend a lot of time with them in the coming months and years. I will miss my colleagues, the job and the company that has allowed me to work in NYC, Washington, Boston and Hartford in an AP career that has spanned nearly 30 years. At heart, I’m still a guy who loves local broadcast news after doing it for about 15 years before the AP. I will miss most my daily contact with the radio and TV folks who have been so important in defining what I do. Their friendship, their input and their camaraderie has made my job a joy.”