CLEVELAND — We're celebrating our own Hollie Strano today as she marks her 20th anniversary here at 3News.
The 'GO!' morning show featured multiple special messages and tributes early Wednesday, which you can find throughout the story below along with a Q&A as Strano discusses her time with us.
Congratulations!
On looking back at the last 20 years at WKYC:
You know what it's like? It’s where you still feel like you are 20 years old. And I think as an adult, that's something that we can all relate to. You have moments where you think, wow, I can't believe I'm supposed to be this mature in adulting. I still feel like at times I'm at John Carroll at other times, I just had a baby. And then at other times, here I am 20 years later.
On what brought her home to Northeast Ohio:
Cleveland is home for me. I grew up on the east side in Lyndhurst and my end goal was always to be back here because that's where all my family is. And I knew that I'd want to end up here in Cleveland. I was working in North Carolina when 9/11 happened. And it put things in perspective for me. I parallel it to the pandemic and what it's done for so many people, to make priorities of what's most important. When that occurred, I just remember thinking that's it. I've got to go home. And I was really lucky that I was able to get this job and move back months later. I started working here in March of 2002.
On becoming a mom on TV:
I was pregnant with each child on TV. Because I do weather, I'm standing up on camera. So the pregnancy was something that was obvious from early on with both my kids and it was such a personal connection with the viewers. I had both of my kids prematurely. Don't know why, but I was very open about it. And to this day, Hillcrest NICU is one of my favorite places and I still see the nurses that took care of Jess and Grady at Heinen's and Target and CVS. And they're just amazing.
It’s been such a journey and I can't believe that they're not babies. There are times when I cannot believe that my daughter is driving a car! She’s 16 now, but how did that happen? I remember thinking with each of them, how could this get any better? I just love everything about being a mom. And it's so true, because my mom always told me with every stage and every year that passes, it will get better.
On opening up to viewers about mental health:
Mental health has become such a huge thing, and for me it was really personal because I struggled with it. So I shared my own struggles with anxiety and it was really empowering to do that, but I don't think I could have done it if it wasn't for my family at the station because I feel so close to all of them. I remember being really afraid and thinking this really seems like I'm throwing myself out there, but I also felt like it was unfair not to share such a huge part of who I was as a human being. And back when I did share it, mental health struggles weren't as out in the open as they are now. So it really felt like, oh my goodness, either people will judge me to the point of no return or this is gonna help. And I opted to do it in hopes of helping even one person. And I'm really glad that it's continuing to help a lot of people.
On social media and connecting with viewers:
What's really strange is that there was no social media when I started. So that really makes me feel like, yeah, I've been here for 20 years, all right. I remember what a big deal it was to reach 5,000 friends on Facebook and then get a public page and I remember thinking, I can't believe that this is now part of our job. Now, it's so integrated in our daily work that I feed off of the energy and the positivity. And I can't tell you how many viewers I’ve connected with -- and now I consider them friends.
On building a work family:
When I started here, I can still remember Mark Nolan, who at the time was doing mornings, passing me -- ironically -- a pot of coffee. Like that was the pass off. We’re still close and my kids still call Mark ‘Uncle Mark to this day.
And I still work with a lot of the same people who have been here for much of the past 20 years. That’s what’s really cool about this morning show. Dave and I worked together in Toledo. It was both of our first jobs! So we've worked together technically for a long time and kind of grown up together, too.
I remember when Maureen came here as a reporter and then went to weekends and now I feel like I'm her sister and we have grown so close and it's such a beautiful thing to really have that connection mom, to mom, woman, to woman on many levels.
And then Danielle, you wanna talk about an inspiration! There's not many mornings that the two of us haven't had some kind of prayer before the show or inspiration or even just a funny Jesus-take-the-wheel moment. I've even got her to drink coffee. She never did. Maureen and I are still working on getting Dave to drink coffee, but Maureen and I are queen bean sisters.
On the number one question she gets asked by viewers:
The most popular question I get is definitely always, ‘How do you wake up that early? How do you do it’? And you just do it. It's like anything in life, you just do it. I've been on mornings for 20 years. I wouldn't have it any other way. I know that some people would call me out of my mind and the hours are definitely challenging, but I am a morning person, and I was always very family orientated, and I knew that for me, working early to get home to my kids would be worthwhile. I'd be lying if I said some days I'm not exhausted and I do dream about coffee on my way to work. But once I'm in those doors and the energy of this family here, it's just all I need. Dave actually said something to me today that really resonated. He said, it's not that we love that we're on TV, we love what we do.
On what she wants viewers to know:
The biggest thing I'd want the viewer to know is that I really feel like you're a friend and I'm honored for that. I really am. So thank you. I would say thank you. And I I'd want you to know how grateful I am, because you're the reason I'm here. It’s really been an awesome adventure and I can't wait to see where the road continues to take me.