I have a friend whose preferred reading involves “grace under pressure” and another who reads/watches anything spotlighting “strength of character.”

I think they go hand-in-hand—strength of character may be visible in many different acts, but without it, I doubt anybody would demonstrate much grace when adversity strikes.

Lee Thomas is such a person.

Thomas, who is an anchor and entertainment reporter for a Fox Broadcasting Company affiliate and is black, suffers from Vitiligo, a disorder in which pigment-making cells are destroyed and white patches appear on different parts of the body, tissues in the mouth and nose, and the retina—the same disease that Michael Jackson has.

“There is no cause. There is no cure, and it’s very random. I could turn all the way white or mostly white.”

He openly talks about vitiligo and how it has affected his life and career, and has written a book about his journey titled Turning White: A Memoir of Change. Along the way, Thomas says he’s met others with the disorder and has become a celebrity spokesman for the Columbus, Ohio-based National Vitiligo Foundation.

It’s not fatal, but experts say vitiligo robs people of self-confidence, evokes ridicule and unpleasant stares, and pushes some into unforced seclusion…Vitiligo attacks the soul and psyche, foundation executive director Robert Haas says.

Thomas was diagnosed at age 25, but by using makeup he was able to keep the condition a secret.

He didn’t let it slow down his blossoming career. …Thomas found his way to WJBK in Detroit in 1997. He has carved a niche in the Motor City market with his quirky, upbeat and humorous reporting style; his confidence, constant smile and positive air on the set mirrors his demeanor off the set as well.

Even though Thomas uses makeup to conceal his skin discoloration, he realized the vitiligo was becoming more obvious when he couldn’t hide it from a preschooler during a story about a playground. His two-toned hands frightened the girl, who began to cry.

“I thought my career was over,” says the Emmy award winner who routinely travels to Hollywood for one-on-one interviews with celebrities including Will Smith, Tom Cruise and Halle Berry.

So he gathered himself one day and approached the station’s news director, prepared to walk away from television.

“She said, ‘Let’s just see what happens,”‘ Thomas recalls. “As it got worse, she kept encouraging me to tell my story.”

Thomas did tell it in 2005 and received overwhelming support from viewers.

“As all those things happened, the tone of the book changed. I was writing for all those people who were afraid to come outside… Having this disease forces me to focus on what I am: kind, caring, honest.”

Strength of character and grace under pressure—whether large or small—are uplifting to behold.

Who do you think exemplifies these traits? Tell me about your own experiences of “grace under pressure.”

Comments—priceless

Don’t miss a post, subscribe via RSS or EMAIL