"I know one thing for sure," says Barbara Boyd. "From adversity good things can come."

And indeed, that has certainly been the case in her life.

In 1970, her family's home went up in flames when a faulty furnace caused a devastating fire. And, despite the horrible experience, she laughs about things like the firemen recognizing her as a local celebrity and recounts the generosity of people, including station owner Eldon Campbell, in providing them with clothing and personal items while they lived in a hotel until they could find a permanent home.

That home is the same home in which she resides today. She looks around the collection of photos and mementos that surround her and says, "It was really a blessing; had it not been for the fire, we would have never moved in here."

Then in 1973, she detected a lump in her breast that would lead to a mastectomy. It's a fearful moment that many women dread. Boyd never had a doubt that she would fully recover.

"You know, I just never even considered that I was going to die," she says.

And with that very matter-of-fact attitude she had a mastectomy. And somewhere in the midst of post-operative haze during her "Reach to Recovery" session, she had a brilliant idea. She would do one of her segments about having a mastectomy.

"They came to the hospital and filmed it," she says, "And note I said 'film,' because it was long before video. And they were late getting back to the studio. The seven-minute segment aired unedited … and the switchboard lit up!" Those calls were from women who had breast cancer or had family members who had the disease and were so grateful for her bringing the issue to the public's eye.

A subsequent half-hour special on the topic led to a cross-country tour of public appearances that promoted breast cancer awareness … in a time when people just didn't talk about "it." She was named Woman of the Year by the American Cancer Society and received her first of four CASPER awards from the Community Service Council for her groundbreaking report.

"People kept telling me how courageous I was, how brave I was. I never thought of it as anything except a story about an experience I had that I knew a lot of our viewers shared," she says.

And that was really how she approached every story … in a very personal way. She went from consumer reporter with a segment on the noon news to being the noon anchor. She is quick to remember those who helped her along the way, from the cameramen along on her first assignments to the production staff who filled her in on "B-roll." (That is the footage that rolls to add a visual aspect to what might be an otherwise dry interview.) She talks fondly of her relationship with former news director Bob Gamble who was tough as he was supportive; of ABC’s Max Robinson who advised her that if she wanted to be a news anchor, she needed to let management know that.

Along the way, she received awards from the Indianapolis Press Club, the Indianapolis Jr. League and the NAACP; she received the Francis Wright award for being a television pioneer; the Touchstone Award from Girls Inc., the Breakthrough Woman Award from the Coalition of 100 Black Women and was an honoree for the Trailblazers Award from Indiana Black Expo 2001. She was inducted into the National Association of the Black Journalism Hall of Fame and in 2000 was the first African American female to be inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.

Barbara Boyd retired from WRTV after 25 years 17 ago … but she did not slow down. She has appeared in a number of commercials and advertisements as well as couple of movies. You may have run into her at the 7th Avenue Consignment Shop where she could be found assisting customers with her characteristic good humor and bright smile.

However, Barbara recently had a profound loss in her life. Three years ago, her husband Ted passed away from esophageal cancer. "Everyone loved Ted," she says of her husband who wrote uplifting prose including, The Black Snowflake. "We had a wonderful time together, 54 wonderful years."

She has poured that love back into the Indianapolis community as a member of the Circle City Links, the Silhouettes, Dialogue and sits on the advisory boards of the United Negro College Fund. She is an active supporter of the March of Dimes, Indiana Children's Wish Fund and is in three bridge clubs. She is a deacon and an usher at her church, Tabernacle Presbyterian Church. She remains close to her three children and has 13 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

And she’s still taking on new challenges. She has found a new passion assisting Habitat for Humanity on a few projects. "It's a great feeling of accomplishment," says Boyd, "to drive down the street and think, 'I helped build that house!'"

Nonetheless, people still remember her … both her face and her voice. And for that, she says, she is humbled and honored.

Still, no one can close a story like Barbara … as she would say, "Have a great day. And stay on top of the world."

Don't miss Part 1 of Barbara's story!