Eddy Li, former ABC News Video Editor 1971 to 2009, now retired and healthy Photo credit: Eddy Li
Hong Kong
May 13, 2013
Eddy Li globe-trotted the world for ABC News in a high-stress non-stop news video editing job from 1971 to 2009.
When a sudden diagnosis of cancer changed his life, Li wrote his personal account on how he entered into the darkest tunnel of his life and emerged, a more vigilant and environmentally aware individual.
Today, as a cancer survivor and a retiree who now enjoys a healthier and more fulfilling life, Eddy shares what he has learned about our world's increasingly hazardous environment and how you can protect yourself from its toxicity. AsianConnections' Suzanne Joe Kai chatted with Eddy about his new book, "From A Great Escape to a New Beginning - My Journey Through Cancer."
Suzanne: Congratulations on beating your Stage 3 cancer. When you were a news video editor with a busy globe-trotting life for years, can you share with our readers what your life was like, and how and why you have changed your lifestyle?
Eddy: In the eyes of an average audience, network news looks glamorous. It was indeed, at least during my days. But behind the scenes of its glamor, there went a stress-filled working environment. That is compounded by the time difference between Asia and the Americas. I joined ABC News in October 1971. I retired in October 2009.
For me, it had been a physically challenging career. Sleep deprivation was part of my life. And it lasted for 38 years. It wasn’t easy. When the phone rang in the middle of the night, I was almost certain that I had to get out of bed and pack up, catch the next available flight and hit the road, and travel like a circus. You need a strong marriage to keep the job. Even when I was on vacation, in the back of mind, there’s always something which might happen to screw it all up.
There wasn’t really a personal life. Despite all these, I had decent income and compensations. I had job...
