Episode 019: Talia (Hayward) Melton

06/27/19 • 25 min

Growing up as an orphan in Zambia, Talia (Hayward) Melton had no money, no opportunity and—of course—no parents. Bi-racial and bullied, her early years were difficult at best. But times have changed. Talia has a beautiful family of her own, limitless opportunities and enough money to make breathtaking art out of it.

Talia Hayward is a Zambian born artist with an instantly recognizable style. Growing up as an orphan in a third world country had its challenges, including often being deprived of the basic means to create art. It’s ironic then that, today, Talia’s mosaics are literally made of money...containing extremely fine detail achieved through painstaking effort and thousands and thousands of coins. Talia also appeared on Big Brother Africa 7 and runs the non-profit Thankful Thinking with her husband Brett.

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Episode 18: Chris Widlic

Super Bowls, Final Fours, the Olympics. Each is just another day at the office for Chris Widlic. And while he gets into them all for free, earning the right to work the world’s greatest sporting venues didn’t come cheap. This TV sportscaster has seen a lot. He has done a lot. And early on, it cost him a lot.

Now, with more than 30 years in the business, Chris not only has a job he loves...but has it in a city he loves and with a family who loves it all too.

Chris Widlic is an award-winning TV broadcaster who has spent the last 16 years covering the Indianapolis market. After 12 years at WCIA-TV in Champaign, Illinois, Chris moved to WISH-TV in December 2003, before joining CBS 4 in 2017 (both in Indy). His work includes Super Bowls, Final Fours, the Olympics, and the Greatest Spectacle in Racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! Chris has followed Butler, IU, Purdue, Notre Dame and Valparaiso.

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Episode 20: Darrin Fletcher

Newly married and making $800 a month in the minor leagues, Darrin Fletcher began to question the only thing he had ever known: baseball. After a miserable season, it was a seemingly chance encounter with the legendary Tommy Lasorda and Sandy Koufax that led Darrin to the big leagues and, eventually, to the All-Star Game.

After three years as a standout catcher for the University of Illinois, Darrin Fletcher was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, launching a 16 year professional baseball career. Darrin spent time with the Dodgers, Phillies, and Blue Jays, but he may best be known for his 1994 All-Star season as a member of the Montreal Expos. Today, Fletcher is a member of the University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame, is retired, and lives with his family in Central Illinois.