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Best Picture Blunders
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Byron Pitts Shares His Dark Secrets & Triumphs
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CBS
A Baltimore native is now at the top of the ranks when it comes to television news. Byron Pitts is the senior national correspondent for CBS News and is contributor to CBS' "60 Minutes."
But as Vic Carter reports, for most of his life Byron struggled with personal difficulties and secrets.
Baltimore has many good reasons to be proud of people from Charm City and people who have done big things on the national stage.
The words seem to come so easily from veteran correspondent Byron Pitts. He's eloquent, poised and his delivery is heartfelt. He has an empathy for people whose stories he tells.
Byron walked with WJZ on East Federal Street where he grew up.
"We used to play baseball in this place right there [pointing across the street]," he said.
As a kid Byron played baseball with Leroy Williams Jr. This is no ordinary New York network correspondent. He is Baltimore and Baltimore is part of him.
"I am proud to say 'I'm from Baltimore.' I am proud to say 'I am from East Baltimore.' I would not be where I am now, if not for the years of my life I spent here," said Byron.
Byron endured many troubles in his childhood, which he overcame.
"I was a kid with secrets," he said.
He could not read until he was 12, and he stuttered until he was 20. Teachers suggested he be institutionalized. He spent a good part of his formative years in remedial classes.
"While there may be struggles in life, there's joy on the other side. Yeah, I had some difficult moments growing up on East Federal Street, but I had some wonderful moments, as well. It's the combination of those good and bad moments that make me the person I am now. It allows me to tell stories for '60 Minutes' because I recognize struggle," he said.
Along the way, there were people who saw the potential in him.
"I've benefitted from so many wonderful people in this community," he said.
Those great mentors went the extra mile to help him. The Stumbroskis, the parents of his high school schoolmate, and James Mack, a swimming and wrestling coach at Morgan State University, really stood out in his life.
"It speaks to goodness of I think to God's grace, the goodness of the wonderful people who are a part of my life in Baltimore--coaches, teachers, the pastor of my church in West Baltimore. I am on '60 Minutes' now because of those folks," said Byron.
Byron is a prolific writer. He captured in words his struggle in his beloved Baltimore in a book called "Step Out on Nothing."
"I wrote the book for the underdogs. I consider myself an underdog. So for anyone who has been told, 'No you can't, you're not good enough, you're not worthy, you're not ready,' my book says yeah you are," said Byron.
It's a testament to his faith and his belief that against the odds, you can succeed.
"I am a blue-collar guy from a blue-collar city who did OK. And if I can make it, Lord knows anybody can make it," he said.
Whenever Byron is back home he spends time with his family and always drops by his church, the New Shiloh Baptist Church.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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