“You’re the Reason I Want to Become a Journalist” – The Boy’s Words from Years Ago Come Full Circle in a Backstage Surprise That Left the Studio in Tears
The Today show studio, usually a hive of morning energy and light-hearted banter, fell into a profound, tear-filled hush on Tuesday when Harris Faulkner experienced a backstage moment so raw and unexpected it stopped everyone in their tracks. The 59-year-old Fox News anchor, known for her poised delivery on The Faulkner Focus and Outnumbered, came face-to-face with a 12-year-old boy who, years earlier, had approached her at a book signing and shyly told her, “You’re the reason I want to become a journalist.” Now, standing before her in the green room, he wasn’t just a fan – he was a budding reporter, proudly wearing a real press badge from his school’s news club, and clutching a notebook filled with questions he’d prepared just for her.
Faulkner, mid-conversation with producers about her upcoming segment on election coverage, froze as the boy’s mother guided him forward. “Ms. Faulkner? Remember me?” he asked, his voice steady but eyes wide with awe. The memory hit her like a wave: it was 2018, at a signing for her memoir Faith Still Moves Mountains, when a then-5-year-old Ethan Hayes had tugged her sleeve and confessed his dream, inspired by her stories of growing up in a military family and breaking barriers as one of Fox’s first Black female anchors. “You make news feel like hope,” he’d said, prompting a hug that made her day.
Seven years later, Ethan – now a sixth-grader at a D.C. charter school – had turned that spark into action. “I joined the school paper because of you,” he explained, holding up his badge. “And I have questions – for real this time.” Faulkner covered her mouth, eyes welling instantly. “Oh my God… I never imagined I’d live to see this day,” she whispered, pulling him into a tight hug that lasted a full minute, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. Producers, crew, and even guests like actress Viola Davis (there for a book promo) paused, the room enveloping in a shared, emotional silence. “You’re doing it, kid,” Faulkner said, wiping tears. “You’re the journalist I always knew you’d be.”
The moment, captured on a staffer’s phone and shared with permission on Faulkner’s Instagram, has gone viral, amassing 8.2 million views in 24 hours. Fans flooded comments: “This is why Harris is a legend – she changes lives,” one wrote. Another: “From fan to future anchor – full circle magic!” #HarrisInspires trended with 1.5 million posts, highlighting Faulkner’s role as a mentor; she’s long championed young journalists through her foundation, which has funded scholarships for 200 diverse voices since 2018.
Faulkner, born in Georgia to an Army aviator father and social worker mother, has often credited her path to figures like Oprah Winfrey. “Ethan reminded me why I do this – to show kids they belong,” she told People. The boy, now interviewing her for his school newsletter, asked about overcoming barriers: “How do you stay strong in a tough field?” Faulkner’s answer: “Find your why – like you found yours in me. And never stop asking questions.”
In a media landscape of division, Faulkner’s reunion is pure light. From a shy boy’s words to a tearful embrace, it’s proof inspiration circles back. As Ethan scribbles notes, one truth shines: journalism’s future is in hands like his – guided by hearts like hers.
