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Jana's journey with Obadiah

Jana Shortal talks about how she met Obadiah, his love of the Vikings and what's it like to feel different.

WATCH: Being Obadiah

Credit: Carly Danek, KARE
Jana and Obadiah. Photo credit: Carly Danek, KARE

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - In May 2016 I was working quietly at my corner desk when I heard his voice for the first time.

I heard Randy Shaver laugh in a way that was different than I normally do when I hear him on the air. I just noticed something was DIFFERENT.

I looked at the television set and there he was, a 6-year-old holding court on live television with two seasoned anchors just in awe of him.

He was Obadiah Gamble.

On that day, like many days that spring, I was trying to think of ways to make "Breaking the News" something... well... different.

On that day when I heard Obadiah on the air I thought to myself quickly, maybe he would be that "different someone" to have on Breaking the News to talk about his one true love, the Minnesota Vikings, in a way we could all really relate to.

I rushed out of the newsroom to find his mom in our lobby and I vaguely recall nervously asking her if, come fall, could Obadiah be our regular Vikings analyst?

She said, and I quote, "Let me think about it."

Three months later, Vanessa Gamble gave Obadiah and I the green light to try and make a go of the crazy idea…and since then, we have about 25 stories under our belts.

The last time is always bittersweet. The final Vikings analysis tonight on #btn11

A post shared by Jana Shortal (@janashortal) on

Obadiah is the person I am asked about the most, hands down. Emails, tweets, phone messages and just in the words of strangers on the street.

Everyone wants to know about him, and some, over the years, have asked this question. “Is Obadiah different?”

Obadiah Gamble. Credit; Gamble Family

I have to be honest, the question has taken me aback because it’s so personal and as someone who is now a friend and not just an interviewer of him, it hurt.

I never told him about those questions. He never offered up any personal information until a couple of months ago.

Obadiah and I have talked a few times about being different.

We’ve traded advice on how to handle bullies... his on the playground, mine on the digital playground.

And in the last few weeks, I began to wonder if it would empower Obadiah, and any other person who feels "other" in this world to tell his story?

I again went to his mom and she again asked for time to think it over.

Well, after a lot of soul-searching we all decided... Obadiah, his mom, myself and photojournalist Carly Danek to give it a try.

Obadiah Gamble. Credit: Gamble Family

The four of us had worked for this long together, it was worth a shot. What we didn’t know, at least three of us didn’t, was what Obadiah would share.

That he would say when talking about being different, “I feel lame. I feel unheard. Sometimes I feel sad or angry that I am not just a normal person.”

I didn’t know he would tell me that it’s very stressful for him sometimes. That sometimes it’s hard for him to learn. That sometimes it just hurts.

To watch my now 8-year-old friend describe in detail what it feels like to be bullied was more than I could bear.

To listen to what a child hears is both humbling and heartbreaking.

And to learn how he chooses to take his negative experiences and use them as fuel for his hope to be of service and purpose made this an interview I’ll not soon forget.

WATCH: Being Obadiah

This kid. The Vikings are his first love. And now he’s had his heart broken, for the first time.

A post shared by Jana Shortal (@janashortal) on

Watch more Obadiah stories below:

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