72 years around the sun, what an experience

A fast look back at life and all that have influenced me over 72 years from my storming of the journalism profession to battling cancer and legionnaires' disease. Thank you for the birthday wishes

By Ray Hanania

Free/Ray Hanania Birthday/Thursday, April 17, 2025

72 years around the sun today .., thank you everyone for the phenomenal birthday wishes

i was very fortunate to be able to force my way into journalism and build a career in communications …

i had to storm the 4th Estate Bastille to get in and fight hard to stay in a racist industry that has tried to push me out — and sometimes being backstabbed by my own easily bought off and victimized Arab community — I’ve managed to stay strong behind the barricades moving forward

There have been many great journalists who have become my friends and supporters, and I am so appreciative of their continued support …

The many good friends I have made in politics, my life’s battlefield, who have stood by me …

The many friends I have made over the years from Warren Elementary school to Bowen, Bogan, Little Flower, and Reavis high schools … and NIU. UIUC MVCC … My Theta Chi brothers

The many newspapers, including Arab News, the Southwest News Herald newspaper chain, the Daily Southtown, The Chicago Sun Times, Newsday (Everybody Loves Raymond), the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronicle …

WLS radio — before it became a beacon of racist hatred — WNZK in Detroit, WLUP, WJJD, WCPT, and many more

And a great family, Alison, Carolyn, Aaron, Ryan, and grandkids Summer and Riley, who I couldn’t survive without their love and understanding … my sister Linda who I have cared for since her 20s ... my brother John, Victoria and Jason, and tremendous uncles aunts cousins and relatives that would take forever to name them all (I don’t want to leave any of them out)

I love you all …

and I’m very thankful to my mom and dad, immigrants who worked hard to enter this country legally, who embraced the bounty this nation offers, and who taught me the lessons of kindness and compassion to others including to find a path of peace when all seems impossible between Jews and Arabs in their homeland of Palestine and Israel

Every night I recite the names of relatives who have passed … “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living,” not too ironically written by Marcus Tullius Cicero, a burden we should all proudly carry

Grateful that I survived heart surgery, cancer, and legionnaires' disease, and moving forward with great health.

Thank you all.