I met Larry King when I was a young radio reporter in Riverhead, NY -- working for WRCD/WHRD on Long Island. The station was titled "Long Island's Quality Rock" -- and it was a great environment for me -- with a supportive and talented manager News Director Bob Clifford, a staff who was fun to work with and getting to listen to classic rock while I worked.

A National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) meeting was coming up that fall in Manhattan. My boss decided to send me as a rep for the stations. The meeting was held in a huge auditorium and I have to admit I was a little nervous because I'd be hobnobbing with some pretty well-known major market broadcasters.

I remember walking down red-carpeted steps to my seat, carrying my PortaPack recorder/mic with me, wearing a pin-striped business suit with an appropriate down-to- my- knees skirt and all of a sudden, facing me, was Larry King! My initial reaction was anxiety. "Oh, what do I say to him, should I say anything?" I thought.

Well, I didn't have to do anything, because he stopped, right on those stairs, smiled and said, "I'm Larry King. SO nice to meet you." I swallowed and fumbled, "Mr. King, it’s such a pleasure to meet you." He was very warm shook my hand, "No, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Now, what do YOU do?" he asked.

Wow, talk about leaving one's ego at the door. In my eyes, I was an unknown little reporter (although LI was the number 12 market at that time). Why would he POSSIBLY be interested in speaking to me? The answer to that is Mr. King obviously had a curiosity to learn about everyone, irrespective of their status.

For many years, I watched "Larry King Live" on CNN. It intrigued me to learn that King never did research on interviewees before he talked to them. However, seeing first-hand how spontaneous he was, that doesn't surprise me now. In my radio work, I always do research on people before I interview them. Larry King didn't need to do that -- and that's what I call having a gift.

It saddens me to read that the 86-year-old recently lost two of his children, daughter Chaia, 51, to lung cancer on August 20 and son Andy, 65, to a heart attack on July 28. I cannot imagine the grief he and his surviving three children are experiencing. It is particularly poignant because King is still recuperating from a stroke he suffered last year as well as a painful divorce.  It's unthinkable for a parent to have to suffer the loss of a child, worse yet, two children. It's unlikely Mr. King will see this but I would like to offer my sincere condolences for his losses. I also want to thank him for offering encouragement to an insecure young reporter -- as well as for countless hours of enjoyment I've had watching his programs.