‘It’s on us to show them’: Inside the Blizzard of ’26

In a special blizzard edition of “Behind the Story,” 12 News journalists Kayla Fish and Corey Welch discussed covering the Blizzard of ’26. Fish, an anchor and reporter, was stationed on Aquidneck Island with Welch, the station’s chief photographer. For hours during the height of the historic snowstorm, the breaking news duo trudged through wind and snow to show viewers the dangerous whiteout conditions. “It’s active, it’s interesting. People are usually sitting at home and can’t go anywhere because they’re snowed in, so it’s on us to show them what’s happening outside,” Fish said, adding that she has always enjoyed snow and covering major weather events. Beyond documenting the snowfall, Welch emphasized the importance of finding stories afterward that highlight the human resilience that often emerges during emergencies. The pair recalled one story about a younger man who stopped to help an older woman shovel, sparking a new friendship between neighbors in Middletown. “We heard something that made us think they didn’t know each other,” Welch said. “We went over and talked to them, and that was the case. So we instantly put a microphone on them and started recording and told them, ‘Do your thing.’” “It was a prime example of people who didn’t know each other coming together,” he added. Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app. How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com. “Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.