CFAX 1070's James Gardner retiring after 42 years in radio
As James Gardner prepares for his last day of work before retirement, a first memory has unexpectedly popped up on his phone.
“Look at that smile,” James says, pointing to a beaming child at the beach wearing striped swim trunks. “I didn’t have that smile a lot as a child. It was a (frown).”
But then again, James — who was being raised as a girl named Sheila — didn’t have a lot of days at the beach when her bathing suit was accidentally left back home, and she had to borrow a boy’s.
“I was so happy to just be in trunks,” James says. “I was only four. So that was my first feeling (about being a boy).”
James will also never forget those first memories of listening to rock radio as a child.
“(One day), it just hit me,” James recalls being a curious kid who was always asking people questions. “I thought, ‘Why can’t I do this?’”
Although she was encouraged to purse a more traditional career path in teaching or nursing, Sheila Gardner persevered to become one of the first women at the time to work in radio news.
“News is exciting,” James says. “You’re reporting, you’re broadcasting, and every time you turn around something new is happening.”
Sheila’s acclaimed career in reporting and presenting catapulted her to eight stations across two provinces, before arriving at CFAX 1070 in Victoria, and making a major life decision.
“The time was right,” James says. “Medicine was aligning. Society was aligning.”
So he bravely and proudly began to transition from Sheila to James on air, which News Director Ryan Price says was unprecedented at the time and beneficial for listeners.
“It was one of the first, if not the first transgender transition of an on-air personality in Canada, and people got to listen to James and go for that ride long before Caitlyn Jenner,” Ryan says. “I’m really proud and happy I got to be a part of that.”
While James’ work in radio has earned almost a dozen industry honours, including a prestigious Edward R Murrow award, he says the most rewarding thing has been serving the community with daily broadcasts that are both informative and fun.
“This is hard news. We take it seriously,” James says. “But I put some nice, light stories in my newscasts, because I think it’s important to balance that.”
While James is looking forward to retirement, he’s also looking back with gratitude — that his younger self grew-up to not only become a trusted voice on the radio, but also to find his authentic voice in life.
“It’s a wonderful feeling,” James says, before bursting into a big smile. “You did it, kid.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
BREAKING Jury deliberations begin in Donald Trump's hush money criminal case
Jury deliberations began Wednesday in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, putting the outcome of the historic case in the hands of a dozen New Yorkers who have vowed to be fair and impartial in the face of their unprecedented task.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
What weather experts say to expect this summer in Canada
Get ready to feel the heat, Canada. Weather experts are predicting more sunshine and warmer temperatures for the summer.
Canada announces $11B for military aircraft training
Canada has announced an $11.2-billion contract to improve training platforms for the military, including the purchase of 70 training aircraft for the Future Aircrew Training program.
CNN exclusive: A federal grand jury may soon hear from Sean 'Diddy' Combs' accusers
Federal investigators are preparing to bring accusers of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs before a federal grand jury, two sources familiar with the probe tell CNN — signaling the U.S. Justice Department is moving toward potentially seeking an indictment of Combs.
In bizarre provocation, North Korea flies trash, manure balloons over the South
North Korea flew hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, prompting the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.