Dustin Dorsey
I grew up in San Jose and loved playing and watching sports. My family bonded over cheering for the Warriors, A's, Sharks and Cowboys. I played all sports growing including swimming, football and basketball to name a few. While I didn't quite have the skills to be a professional athlete, I knew very early on that I wanted to be in the spotlight. From performing made-up routines for my family in the living room, to emceeing my school's talent show as a kindergartner, I never shied away from the stage.
It has been a blessing to be a reporter with ABC7 News since February 2019. It's incredible to see how much happens in news in such a short amount of time.
I was lucky enough to cover the Super Bowl in 2020 when the San Francisco 49ers took on the Kansas City Chiefs. I told everyone that week that my feet never hit the ground, I was simply floating from the excitement of it all.
Life changed a month later when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, however. Covering the important stories of my community never felt more urgent. I recognized then just how big of an impact we can have as journalists while telling the news that people need to know.
I had never been so challenged to do my job, but it helped me clearly understand how and why we were Building a Better Bay Area every day.
I take that mantra very seriously when doing my work whether it be covering the Presidential visits, the devastating storms of 2023 or the daily news that tops the headlines in the South Bay.
I got my first taste of broadcasting at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose. In my senior year, I took journalism to get out of having to take a third year of science. It turned out to be the best thing I ever did. I anchored the Wednesday morning broadcast and realized this is what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I perfected my craft at San Jose State University and began my professional career after my Fall graduation.
I never wanted to leave the Bay Area, this is home. But in this business, I learned if you want to be on TV, you go be on TV. I took that advice to heart and moved to the opposite side of the country to little Wilmington, NC to become a multi-media journalist for WWAY news. I was quickly thrust into the news world where I covered Hurricane Matthew, a Black Panther Party protest, a Donald Trump presidential rally and many more stories that helped me realize I'm not in college anymore. My passion has always been sports and 6 months in I was able to get promoted to the sports director at the station.
Growing up, I always wanted to emulate my broadcasting idol, Rich Eisen, and become a sports anchor. Now just a short time into my career, I was able to live out that dream.
As the sports director, I had the opportunity to cover March Madness, the NCAA baseball regional and even a PGA Tour Championship. I told the small town stories of the athletes in Southeastern North Carolina and watched many head to do great things.
It was a life-changing experience to be able to live life in a different part of the country. But after two years in the South, I was ready to come home. ABC7 allowed me to do just that.
I now get to be in my own backyard telling the stories of my South Bay Community while working alongside the same talented journalists here that I grew up watching. It has been an amazing journey so far, but I always believe the best is yet to come!
Share the stories of the Bay with me on Twitter, Facebook or by e-mail: Dustin.W.Dorsey@abc.com.
Dustin's Stories
San Jose moves Mexico-England watch parties from San Pedro, quickly sells out
On Sunday, fans will be able to watch matches at either SAP Center or Discovery Meadow in downtown San Jose. The new locations will host watch parties for the Mexico-England matchup, while Discovery Meadow also will host the Brazil-Norway game.
Tracy Medline Warehouse Fire: Here are the public safety, health and employment impacts
A massive fire that destroyed a medical distribution facility in Tracy has left about 1,000 employees out of work and raised concerns about the supply of critical medical goods, as officials and companies work to limit ongoing impacts.
Red Flag Warning in East Bay has all Bay Area residents preparing for fire danger weather
On Wednesday night, PG&E announced Public Safety Power Shutoffs will happen for parts of the Bay Area. Meanwhile, a Red Flag Warning in the East Bay hills is heightening concerns about wildfire danger in Oakland, where dry vegetation, gusty winds and the close proximity of homes to wildland areas increase the risk of fast-moving fires.
Players of San Jose's new professional women's hockey team excited to build in Bay Area
A new professional women's hockey team in San Jose is beginning to take shape, with the league announcing its first five foundational players tasked with building the expansion franchise. We spoke with some of the players who say they are excited to build up the sport in the Bay Area and connect with their fans.
Female victim speaks out as police search for man recording in Sunnyvale gym shower
The Sunnyvale resident was alarmed when she saw a phone appear beneath her shower stall at 24 Hour Fitness early in the morning. "I was terrified I didn't know what he was going to do with my video," she said.
San Jose dog owner describes close encounter with coyote amid increase in sightings
A San Jose woman is warning families with children and pets after a recent encounter with a coyote that snapped at her dog while she was walking in her Willow Glen neighborhood.
Bay Area voter turnout growing ahead of CA gubernatorial primary as mail-in ballots surge
Ballots ahead of Tuesday's primary election are being returned at a rapid pace across California, with statewide turnout at about 16 percent as of Monday and rising quickly.
Los Gatos mom sentenced to nearly 36 years for hosting drunken teen sex parties: 'I am ashamed'
Shannon O'Connor, a Los Gatos mother convicted for hosting drunken sex parties involving teenagers, has received the maximum sentence. She apologized to the victims and their families following several days of their emotional statements, detailing profound, lasting impacts.
Victim statements heard in sentencing hearings for Los Gatos mom convicted for teen sex parties
"The trauma shattered parts of me and every day I wake up, I'm rebuilding what you broke," one victim said at the sentencing hearing for Shannon O'Connor, a Los Gatos mother convicted for drunken sex parties involving teenagers.
Matt Mahan facing campaign questions, political jabs ahead of CA primary
A pro-Mahan political committee refunded $1 million to Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings, a major backer. Additionally, Mahan faced a corruption complaint related to alleged coordination with a billionaire-funded political action committee.
