WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As longtime WPTV journalist Shannon Cake prepares to anchor her final few newscasts, the entire WPTV News team is reflecting on what makes her a powerful storyteller.
Cake connects with people and shares their stories, sometimes about the worst day of their lives. She then sticks with those stories and that person for the duration.
WATCH BELOW: Shannon Cake's empathy is the heart of her powerful storytelling
WPTV morning anchor Ashley Glass recently spoke with a woman who is a sexual assault survivor. They talked about how Shannon fights for change.
It's been more than 20 years since Julie Weil survived an attack, and she still thinks about it almost every day.
"I still get that cold chill that feels like anything could happen," Weil explained to Glass.
In Miami in 2002, Weil was abducted from her church parking lot and repeatedly raped in front of her two young children. She trusted Cake to tell her story of survival.
"I remember the look in her eyes while we were talking," Weil said. "She was a young mom back then. Her kids were really little. There was this camaraderie and empathy of two moms sitting down and talking to each other. She was just so kind and approachable and really respectful."
"Although it's difficult to go into detail, it felt worth it to go into detail because I knew she was going to do something great with it," Weil said.
Change came as a result of Cake telling Weil's story. Her testimony in front of Congress helped create a law that helps clear the backlog of untested rape kits.
"I used that story to send out to people here in Florida to say, 'Watch this piece. It will explain to you what the backlog is,'" Weil said. "People had no idea."
Cake has reported on Weil's advocacy work over many years to help create the Butterfly House in Palm Beach County, which is a centralized crisis center for sexual assault victims.
"From my perspective, it's everything," Weil said. "I think by her showing the inside of Butterfly House, we got so much exposure that the natural impact was there's more reporting."
Cake and photojournalist Jim Sitton were recognized with a regional Emmy award for telling the story of Julie's Fight for Change. They immediately gifted the golden statues.
"Yes, we have two Emmy awards in the house," Weil said. "It meant a lot, because it meant that they recognized that the story, the heart of the story, was the survivor."
Weil's fight to give voice to fellow survivors stretches far into the future, much like her bond with Cake.
"I think what's unique with Shannon is the follow-through," Weil said. "I think it's taking the information, not only giving it to people in the community, but then saying, 'How do we continue this or how do we reinvent this for whatever the new challenge is that the community is facing."
"I like to think of her as a friend, but also as a professional ally who says, 'Hey, there's value here and let's tell everybody about it, and let's not just do it one time in a 30-second clip,'" Weil said. "Let's make something out of this because it's worthwhile."
Read more of our coverage as we look back at Shannon Cake's 29-year career at WPTV:
About WPTV NewsChannel 5
Why law enforcement trust Shannon Cake 'to do the right thing'
State
BOGUS BILLING: How WPTV helped expose billing crisis plaguing Medicare
Palm Beach County
GUARDRAIL SAFETY: Investigations lead to improvements to keep drivers safe
About WPTV NewsChannel 5
