"Everybody loves Rusty!" That's what I've heard every time KBTX news anchor, Rusty Surette, came up in conversation. That, and "He's the nicest guy!" For me, it seemed like a no brainer: Who better for the Community issue's cover story than Rusty Surette, so well loved and respected in the Brazos Valley, and dedicated to bringing us all together through news? It's hard to think of anyone who could argue with this choice because everybody loves Rusty, and as I discovered, for good reason.
My interview with Rusty began with him asking me the questions. (He couldn't help it. That's what reporters do.) So I obliged by telling him my life story before he got to tell his. He was awfully sweet to listen to me ramble. Then it was my turn to ask the questions, and the result is now printed inside these pages, beginning on page 22. I culled our hour-long interview from more than 10,000 words to about 2,500, keeping the focus in his career as a news journalist. Here are a few other things I learned about Rusty that I thought you may like to know.
When Rusty isn't working — which is, like, all the time —he's active in the community. He uses his platform as a public figure for good by serving on a number of nonprofit boards, including the local chapter of the American Red Cross, I Heart Bryan, Project Unity, and Health for All. He recently emceed for The Hispanic Forum of BCS, United Way of the Brazos Valley, and The REACH Project. And for his last two years, he created a birthday fundraisers through his Facebook page to benefit Six Kittens Rescue, which we feature in this issue too, on page 18.
Rusty has a cat named Kiki and a miniature Australian shepherd named Nala, and on the rare occasion that he's not working or volunteering, he says, "you'll pretty much find me on the couch, not doing a whole lot" — as in watching mindless television. "I love comedy," he says. "we can have some dark days sometimes in TV news, you know, you cover a lot of bad news. So when I'm relaxed I want to laugh. I need some good heart stuff in my life." Favorite shows include "Friends" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." He also enjoys animations, like "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy." He says with a laugh , "I'm easily entertained." When he's not working, volunteering, or watching TV, Rusty enjoys spending time with family and takes the occasional road trip with his partner, with whom he is engaged (no date set yet, however).
Let's see ... What else can I tell you about Rusty? ... Oh! His go-to food when he's on the run is Taco Bell ("Don't judge! he says), and when he goes out, he prefers "a very low-key setting." You might catch a glimpse of Rusty at Carney's, having a couple beers in the corner talking with friends, eating cheese fries with a side of ranch. That's another thing I found out about Rusty, even before we met: He's a good friend to his friends. He goes to bat for them, and that really impressed me. Rusty may spend most of his life in the spotlight, but he seems happiest when he can help others shine. He genuinely is the nicest guy.
When you read his interview, I think you'll get a good feel for Rusty Surette — the man behind his public persona. I heard it said recently, "People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care." And that's why everybody loves Rusty.
Best,
Ellen Ritscher Sackett,
Editor-in-Chief
Comments, questions, or suggestions? I'd love to hear from you. Reach out to me at editor@insitebrazosvalley.com.
To read all about Rusty Surette, go to The Go-To Guy.
