Sean English hails from metro Detroit, Michigan. He formed his connection to Indiana when he decided to become an undergraduate at Purdue University, studying communications. He’s stayed in the state since and currently works to keep the community he’s devoted to up to date on all local current events.
English is a multimedia journalist who covers general news and sports with WSBT-22, a television station located in South Bend. His line of work necessitates telling others’ stories, but it’s his own that’s particularly noteworthy.
English was driving in a car with his parents on the highway on his way to a choir concert as a teenager. They noticed along their way someone ahead of them on the road had flipped, so they slowed down and stopped to assist. The family then exited their vehicle. English stood on the shoulder to call 9-1-1. As he was doing so, an impaired driver struck him.
The trauma was intense, and English had to have his right leg amputated on scene. He was rushed to a hospital nearby after a police officer applied a tourniquet above his wound to halt a continued flow of blood. A six-hour emergency surgery followed, and he pulled through.
Nearby media outlets caught wind of the story. They sought to interview English concerning the episode. His own passion for journalism was soon birthed out of those experiences.
“Local stations would do interviews with me. Just meeting them, I realized I love journalism, and I love telling stories and getting to help impacted families, people, or businesses,” he said. “Through a life-altering moment, I found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, which I think is awesome.”
English’s tragedy helped him find his footing on his career path. Storytelling enabled him then – helping him work through his circumstances with storytellers wishing to know more – and it does so now, too.
Looking back on the past is something that comes with having lived through happenings that change the trajectory of one’s life completely. English knows reflection, and so he doesn’t struggle when remembering and trying to understand the fuller picture of where his life’s led him.
“Obviously, it was very difficult, but it’s all a mindset,” he said. “There’re always ups and downs. You can either dwell on the fact that you’ve had more downs than ups recently or you can look at those downs and say, ‘At least I’m not as bad as I once was.’ When I think back to that day, it comes back to my being proud of how far I’ve come.”
On the side, English will perform motivational-speaking gigs. He’s appeared on a few podcasts and has his first speaking opportunity in the Michiana region coming up shortly. He’s even returned to his hometown before to present his tale at nearby schools, to patients in infirmaries, and those participating in 5Ks. Over 300 people made up the largest audience he’s addressed.
Though the basic duties of a journalist are simultaneously time-consuming and anxiety-inducing, English handles the stressors of the job with ease. He’s come to profoundly enjoy the complexities of what a story could be and how to best put one together for all news-seeking citizens. To him, no day is the same as the last.
“I love the grind, I love the pressure, and I love the deadlines. There’s a lot of flexibility with how you want to tell a story, who to reach out to, and who to talk to. You get to cater to what you think the audience might want to hear and the facts of the matter without misconstruing anything. I love the diversity and the difference that every day brings,” he said.
A runner growing up, English participated in track throughout high school, both at the national stage and local one. His initial goal was to earn a college scholarship for his talents. He still runs, and he works out on a regular basis. He maintains his mental faculties with brain-fitness activities, such as Wordle, crosswords, and 2,000-piece puzzles.
English resides in Mishawaka, which isn’t too far from Niles, Michigan. He appreciates how he gets the best of both worlds with two of the country’s Midwestern states, and even of the seasons. Ultimately for him its inhabitants make up the character of the place.
“If I want some Indiana, I got some Indiana. If I want Michigan, I got Michigan; it’s really cool. I’m wearing a Stray Dog sweatshirt right now, which is one of my favorite restaurants,” he said. “I personally love the snow, and the people are always so nice. Michiana’s a small, tight-knit community, even though there are a lot of people living there.”