Gail Wescott is a Dunwoody resident, and a reporter for Life Magazine. We got the chance to talk to her about some of the following stories she covered in her career…
KENNEDYS & OTHER POLITICOS:
John F. Kennedy—1960 campaign/presidency/assassination (story of grave)
Jackie Kennedy —during hurricane in Hyannis/ at home in Georgetown etc.
Bobby & Ethel Kennedy & family at Hickory Hill
Eunice Kennedy and family at Special Olympics (N.C.)
Ted Kennedy
Caroline and John childhood in NY
Ann Gargan (niece who cared for Joe)
Pierre Salinger/Ted Sorensen, Pam Tunure etc
Dr Janet Travell – White House Doctor
Richard Nixon
Nellie & John Connally profile (“Picked by John and jellied by Nelly”)
Jimmy Carter/ Rosalynn Carter
Hamilton Jordan
Don & Joyce Rumsfeld -during -first stint as Secretary of Defense
Newt & Marianne Gingrich Rusk —reception at Scarsdale elementary school
Clarence Thomas Pinpoint GA childhood
Gov. Zell Miller – (Mozart for new babies)
Michael Coles – Chocolate Chip Cookie magnate’s run for congress
OLYMPIC ATHLETES:
Marion Jones
Olga Korbut
Carl Lewis
Mary Lou Retton
Dot Richardson (softball) Orthopedic Surgeon
Brooke Bennet (swimmer)
Mary Decker -runner 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta
HEROES/ “ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE”:
Robin Fech – ASA novice flight attendant who saved 21 passengers
Michael Dopheide – Alabama Amtrak train wreck “Hero of Car 211”
Bonnie Whaley —warned drivers in catastrophic 83-car pileup pileup in 1-75 fog
Susan York – crusader against meth houses after breaking up one across street
Richard Jewell, hero of Olympic bombing, a hero nearly destroyed by false coverage
Gary Garner- created baseball league for disabled kids
Debi Faris —founder of Garden of Angels/advocate for Safe Haven laws
Jennifer Arnold —founder of Canine Assistants to help disabled people
David Jayne —ALS victim who lobbied Congress to change Medicare laws
Cristy Sanderson – Operation Toybox
GOD-PEOPLE:
Nancy Fowler— the Ga. housewife who had apparition of Virgin Mary on 13th of every month (19990-98) drawing thousands to her farm and inspired popular bumper sticker: “Come to Conyers, GA. Eat Frank and See Mary!”
Mother Antonia —former Beverly Hills housewife who lives in Tijuana prison and has single-handedly stopped riots Billy Graham interviews at Motreat home and coverage of crusade
Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker —Meltdown of & their Christian theme park, Heritage USA
WAR:
Canadian draft dodgers during Vietnam (first major story on subject)
My Son/My Hero – father and son, Marines, fighting in Iraq
Ron Young – shot down and captured in first days of Iraq war
DIVORCE AND OTHER DRAMAS:
Gingrich divorce
Robin Jansen and ( Olympic Speed skater) Dan Jansen Divorce
Kim Bassinger and Alec Baldwin
Turner/ Fonda
Barbara LeBey Estrangement son (family uproar on Martha’s Vineyard)
CRIME:
Susan Smith Trial
Gina Grant -denied Harvard admission over news she’d murdered her mother
Stop Sign case in Tampa
Jon Benet Ramsey murder
Murder of Sara Tokars
Aisenburg kidnapping – Tampa
Michael Pardue -cleared of crime but held in prison for escape attempts
Shock Incarceration at GA Boot Camp for teens
Serial Killer Larry Evans as viewed by brother
David Nagel- killed grandparents as teen – Insanity acquittal
CONTROVERSY:
Carol Carr—GA mother killed sons to spare them slow Huntington’s disease death
Kelly Flinn —Air Force Pilot forced out over affair with enlisted man
Hutelmyer -winner of Million dollar alienation of affection suit against husband and “other woman”
Allen Adams —accused of being AWOL -actually murdered 20 years earlier
Kathleen Ford robbery and Atlanta jewelers Caldwell ice-cream arrest
Eliot Wiggonton, founder of FOXFIRE —arrested for child molestation
Drunk Driver (GA Tech student ) who killed Lisa Brooks’ two children and his “educational reprieve
David Ramus – art thief
A1-Amin- formerly H.Rapp Brown/murder in Atlanta Muslim community
Esther Green – 18 minutes of suburban terror (carjack recorded on cell phone) leading police to rescue
Larry McAfee’s lawsuit for right to kill himself after accident turned him into quadriplegic, he won and then decided to live
UNEXPECTED:
Visiting Duke & Duchess of Windsor’s fabled country retreat outside Paris with “Instructions for Telephones” that might floor Bill Gates
