OTTAWA -- CTV News Ottawa has won the Radio Television Digital News Association Canada's (RTDNA) national Dave Rogers Award for best short feature in a large market.
The award was given for the feature "I’m Just Half Of Me Right Now: Stittsville Mother’s New Life After Horrific Bus Crash" by reporter Catherine Lathem, shot and edited by Mark Dunlay.
The feature tells the story of Marcie Stevens, a survivor of the horrific 2019 Westboro bus crash that killed three people and injured dozens more. Stevens lost both of her legs in the crash, but vowed to walk again.
“All I remember is the screaming and all the seats coming back in accordion fashion. And then I could see the seat come towards me and crunch me and then it kind of stopped. I was pinned between two seats," Stevens said.
Her optimism in the face of life-changing adversity was on full display.
“I look at my legs and I look at my stumps and say, 'Well, this is reality, so let’s move forward and let’s find out how I can go forward with this and see how I can deal with it,'" she said.
In March, Stevens posted a short video to social media, showing her walking on prosthetic legs with the aid of crutches.
She would later tweet from her home kitchen that she was "back in charge!"
On Instagram, Lathem praised Stevens' courage and perseverance and thanked her for telling her story.
"What an honour this is for me and my former colleague Mark Dunlay," Lathem said. "In my 20 years as a journalist this was one of the most difficult and heartbreaking stories to tell. [Marcie], your courage is beyond remarkable."
"This recognition exemplifies local journalism at its best", said Peter Angione, Director of News & Information Programming Bell Media Ottawa. "Congratulations to Catherine Lathem and Mark Dunlay for telling the powerful, touching story of Marcie Stevens."
RTDNA Canada Awards honour the best journalists, programs, stations and newsgathering organizations in radio, television and digital.
To see the full list of winners, click here.
