Dottie Petrakovich has been with us, since the beginning.
"I've been watching 69 News for quite a while," she begins.
Dottie remembers when 69 News first came on the air, and ever since then, she allowed us to be part of her day.
"The first thing I turned on was 69 News! I wanted to know what was going on in the Lehigh Valley," Dottie says.
Over the years, she let our team be as much a part of her family, as some of her other favorites. (This is where she proudly holds up a photo of Frank Sinatra.)
"He was young here," she smiles.
She was an avid bowler, a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. And now, she says, it's time to go.
"I feel this way: when God wants you, you're gonna go."
Dottie has terminal cancer. She also has a bucket list, and a tour of Channel 69 News was on it, and we were thrilled to oblige. Meteorologist Dan Skeldon was her guide.
She saw the control room, the weather center, and met some of her favorites, like Rob Vaughn.
We really did try to find out which one was her biggest favorite-she laughs, "No! You can't do this to me!"-and, as it turns out, she really is the perfect viewer.
"I like them all, I really do," she says firmly.
We're just one thing she is crossing off her list. She'd like to go bowling with her grandson. She had a date with an Elvis impersonator-"Oh, and I got a picture of him!" She holds up a color photo of a very realistic-looking Elvis.
Quite simply, Dottie is going to live, until she dies.
"And you have to feel that way, no matter what you have, because this is life. Just like that song Frank Sinatra sings..."That's life..."
And Dottie begins to sing.
"That's life...and as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks
Stomping on a dream
But I don't let it, let it get me down
Cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin' around."
Dottie, our thanks to you. It might've been your bucket wish list, but it was our honor.
