Sydney Persing is a General Assignment Reporter at WFAA in Dallas, TX.
Who are you? I'm an authentic, empathetic, sometimes overly-talkative person who always tries to do the right thing. I'm a Jersey girl, a proud Jew, and a Tar Heel (more on that later). Most importantly, though, I am the daughter of tremendous parents. I recently lost my dad, and try hard to still make him proud. I'd say that's most central to 'who I am' these days.
I got my start reporting in Fort Myers, Florida, where I covered everything from Governor Ron DeSantis, to the Surfside condo collapse, Gabby Petito’s murder and the search for Brian Laundrie, the covid crisis from inside the ICU, and yes, hurricanes and tornadoes. I'm still in awe so many people trust me to capture the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I never took that for granted in Florida, and I promise never to here.
What are your interests? I love to get outside! I run (slowly) even in the Dallas summer heat. Inside, you'll find me knee-deep in a thrift store searching for vintage fashion, or at home cuddling with my 14-year old cat, Fenway. My admitted guilty pleasure is reality television, which my mother is not proud of. But it's the truth!
Why do you like working at WFAA? Few stations do journalism this good. Perhaps even fewer stations allow (let alone encourage) its employees to be so authentic. Not to mention I get the privilege of working with the best photojournalists in the country! I feel so lucky to be here.
What's one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? I was a division I athlete at UNC, and in a niche sport! I was recruited to and captained the university's women's fencing program. My proudest accomplishment is helping lead our team to its only ACC championship in program history. We took down Notre Dame and Duke in a total Cinderella story, and my dad was the first parent to storm Carmichael Arena when we pulled it off. It's my favorite memory of my father.
