FORT SMITH, Ark. — A note from Garrett Lewis.
This July marks my 20th year at 5NEWS.
In late 2019, I began to consider a new direction.
Like many of you, 2020 gave me plenty of time to pause and reflect on the direction of life and consider what the next 20-years would look like.
In late 2020, I met with News Management and shared my desire to transition out of television and asked for the company to allow me to leave.
Like the weather, life is full of seasons. Sometimes it's clear where one stops and the other starts.
To make sure I was certain, I gave myself a year to arrive at this decision.
In the days and months that followed, I was given numerous opportunities and Zoom meetings to reconsider.
In the end, we settled on moving forward, with the end of July being the pivot point; my 20-year anniversary.
My last day on-air at 5NEWS will be July 30th, 2021.
Our team at 5NEWS shares stories that reflect the pulse of our community and our shared humanity. This is what I’ve loved most about the work we do. This is what I’ll miss most.
We’ve made our part of the world a better place by sharing news and weather that matters.
My time at 5NEWS has been one of the greatest joys in my life.
No, it hasn’t always been easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.
Doing the hard things is what separates us from the rest.
Thank you for your support both then and now, and I look forward to sharing the end of my journey with you as we near the end of Summer.
— 5NEWS Chief Meteorologist Garrett Lewis
For 20-years, Garrett Lewis has been a valuable member of our 5NEWS team. His passionate coverage of our extreme weather and commitment to serving our communities have been exemplary. Over the coming months, we will join our viewers in celebrating Garrett’s incredible career at 5NEWS. All of us at 5NEWS are thankful for his service, and we wish him and his family only the best as he moves on to his next adventure--Sleeves Up!
— President and General Manager at Channel 5, Van Comer