But it got weird or odd to me. At what point is getting media attention too much or gone too far? I have only done things with the media if I have been contacted or asked to do (like the column for the News and Tribune), but I started to wonder what my own intent was with all of this. Am I doing these things for the right reasons? Am I trying to get notoriety or am I helping to get the Henryville story out? How presumptuious is it that I think I can get the Henryville story out? Not everyone thinks like I do, and maybe they don't appreciate what I say or write. Am I helping? Does it matter? Yea, you probably get the idea that I think a lot about this, well really, I think a lot about a lot of things, sometimes my own thinking. But I digress....
Since this happened, I now have had people from local to national news sources reach out to me. I guess it is because I am the former basketball coach and it is probably easier to find how to contact me, but it has been humbling. Why me? I mean, I have phone numbers for direct lines to national news agencies when I used to not even be able to get Mike Hutsell on the line at the News and Tribune (just kidding Mike, I know I can text you right now).
Here is what I believe. I believe that as long as the media wants to interview me, the baseball coach, our principal, the AD....anyone from Henryville, the longer the story will stay "out there". The longer that happens, maybe the better chance that someone will be helped because of a story and a name that has been mentioned. If that brings some attention to me (it isn't important if it does, but it might happen) then so be it. I finally have become somewhat comfortable that I am in a position to maybe help one person or more if allowed. That's all I want to do is help and maybe I can do it in a different way than what someone else might do.
So what's the dilemma? The dilemma is a personal one for me. I am not judging anyone at all here, I am reflecting on my own beliefs in this situation. When being interviewed as basketball coach at any time, it was clear to me what I was doing. I was being recognized to try and bring attention to our program. For some reason this situation was, at first, very different. I really believe that if I were searching out attention for attention sake that is wrong because I don't believe it is about me. That's why I have tried to use many names of people who are just like me in this situation when talking to the media. I am no better than anyone and much better off than many of the people involved in this whole thing. I know this, I really do.
Dependent on what you believe, you can decide for yourself. I have spelled out the dilemma I face every single time I go public and I guess it is up to you to decide for yourself why you think I do it. I mean, even the blog I started was for me and it wasn't really for anyone else to read. I didn't mind if they did, but that's not why I started it. But with attention I can tell you that it is to get the story of Darrell Gilles and his family out there, to talk about what happened with the Troncin family during the storm, and have you, the people, to take a look at your own lives, appreciate what you have and to get good perspective.
