More About Bianca
Excerpts and outakes from June's interview.
In June's issue of MSM, we have a great interview with Bianca Martinez. Bianca is a military wife and an anchorwoman in Hampton Roads, Virginia. As is often the case, we can't fit it all within the pages of the pages, so we have stashed some of it here for your reading enjoyment. In the photos, Bianca is six months pregnant with her second child. Let me also say, Bianca is a pleasure to work with and the most beautiful person you've ever seen up close.
NAME: Bianca Martinez
OCCUPATION: WTKR News Channel 3 Anchor, Hampton Roads, Va.
FAMILY: Husband Michael, 2 year-old son Lucas and two crazy boxer dogs!
SERVICE AFFILIATION: United States Navy, East Coast SEAL Teams
BACKGROUND: My Mom calls me her United Nations! I am half Mexican, quarter Irish and quarter Mohawk Indian…and I married a German!
FAVORITE FREE TIME INDULGENCE: Getting Hugs from my son…if he’s at school…SLEEP!!!
HOBBIES: Paddling Outrigger Canoes…therapy comes in paddling in the summer ocean in Sandbridge with the dolphins at your side…not even kidding!!
LITTLE KNOWN FACT: I go through a tube of Preparation H a month....it is the BEST for puffy, sleep-deprived eyes!
WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAM?
My dream as a little girl was actually to fly helicopters in the military. I am not even kidding. My father used to tell me I could do anything I wanted…including fly helicopters in the military. So that was actually the first thing I wanted to do. I would walk around in camouflage pants and play football with the boys in the neighborhood. Then the little girl in me started dancing and that took me through high school. I kept telling my parents I was going to go to college and major in dance. Meanwhile my Mom thought I was going to be a lawyer because man could I argue!! Then that perfect mix of performance and intelligence was put in front of me. Growing up outside of Washington, DC I was in a huge market for news. The local NBC affiliate had a program called Teen TV. My Mom encouraged me to audition and I was in love. I became a Teen TV Reporter. I loved the challenges of television and I loved the excitement of it. At age 16 I was working on specials about Teen Violence.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.
I have a wonderful two year old son. He is by far my greatest accomplishment. He gives the biggest and best hugs and I live for those. My goal everyday is to be the one that wakes up with him in the morning and the one that puts him to bed at night. We have a schedule whether Daddy is home or not. I don’t have to be at work until 2:30 in the afternoon so the morning and day part is easy. After the evening shows, I come home and make sure we sit down to dinner together. Then we do the whole bath thing, brushing the teeth, put on the jammies, climb into bed for stories (I mean get in bed with the little nugget) and then lights out. It’s our time.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
That is a tough one. I love so many of the things that this work has brought into my life. I love being able to see the good come from the bad. I think that is the best thing. I ran into a young man this past weekend and he came up to me and said, “I remember you interviewed me and my dad outside the Union Hall.” He was talking about the day Ford closed a plant here in Norfolk and workers were trying to figure out what was next for them. They were heartbroken. I asked him how things have been and he said, “Great! My friend and I have started our own plumbing company and things are awesome. And I almost went to Detroit to one of the other plants.” That may have been a story that did not direct everyone but it definitely meant something to those Ford families. I actually feel sad when I read a lot of these stories but to see this man with a success story warms my heart. I love having this connection with people I have never even met. I love having an 80 year old woman come up and hug me in the middle of the mall. I feel honored that people think of me as their friend.
IS THERE ONE MILITARY SPOUSE STORY THAT HAS STUCK WITH YOU MORE THAN MOST?
My own stories of being a military spouse are boring. But I am inspired everyday by the families that have to move on after their spouse has made the ultimate sacrifice. Where they find the strength I will never know. Too many times we report from memorials of sailors, soldiers, marines and airmen that won’t be coming home. It is rare that we have the opportunity to tell the stories of the families they have left behind. One woman however, Laura McGreevy, has amazed me beyond all belief. Her husband was one of the eleven SEALs that died in Afghanistan in 2005. She called it her darkest day. Three years later she has created a scholarship fund in her husband’s name. Not only is she going to school but she spends her days organizing events and fundraisers, teams and committees all to keep her husband alive in her heart. She has taken her tragedy and turned it into opportunity to others. If I ever have one of those days that I don’t think I can get through, I think of her.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER OTHER MILITARY SPOUSES SEEKING TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS?
Don’t let anyone tell you that your lifestyle makes it impossible. Just go ahead and get it! I was married right out of college at the age of 22. My friends always wondered how I dealt with my husband being gone so much. I had this little explanation for them: I have my life. Mike has his life. When he is home, we have a life together. Together or apart, we always supported each other’s hopes and dreams.
Keeping that in mind was fuel to keep me driving forward. There is no magic answer. When it comes down to it, the only way to reach your star is to work hard to get there. As military spouses, we don’t have to look far for a strong example of motivation and dedication.