Walking Hand in Hand with Grief and Gratitude

A blog from Tim Cicciarelli from The Ride Home, 3-7pm, Monday - Friday,

For those who may not know me, I’m Tim Cicciarelli from The Ride Home on My Country 99.3 WCON. Today, I took the day off from My Country 99.3 WCON.

A year ago today, I lost my beautiful wife, Amy.

I want to thank Josh Tanner for stepping in for me this afternoon, and thank the Foster family and everyone at Habersham Broadcasting for giving me the time and grace to reflect, remember, and simply breathe on what has been a very emotional day.

The truth is, this past year has been the most challenging year of my life.

I have walked hand-in-hand with both grief and gratitude. Grieving the loss of the love of my life and learning how to navigate this world without her, while also feeling deeply grateful for the love and precious time we shared together. I’m also incredibly thankful for the encouragement and support from my family, along with both lifelong friends and people who have entered my life during this difficult season.

This morning, I planted two trees in Amy’s memory. A Stellar Pink Kousa Dogwood because she asked guests to wear touches of pink at our wedding, and a Merlot Redbud because she often wore deep reds and burgundy colors and looked absolutely stunning every single time.

Amy passed away at 4:58 on Monday, May 26, 2025.

Since that day, every Monday at around that time, I quietly play a song on My Country 99.3 that meant a great deal to us when we were dating. Run by George Strait.

Back then, Amy would send that song to me often. Over the years, it became ours. Now, it has become part of how I remember her. So if you happen to be listening on a Monday around 4:58, and you hear “Run” come across your radio speakers while you’re driving home, sitting in traffic, taking the kids to practice, or just finishing up your workday… maybe you’ll think of my Amy for a moment. I’d like that very much.

While I planted those trees today… I found myself thinking about something much bigger than my own grief. Connection. Real connection. And that brings me to you. Our friends on “the other side of the speakers”.

One of the things we hear all the time when we’re out at events across North Georgia is how much you enjoy spending part of your day with us.

Some of you tell us Joel Williams and Rebecca Biddy help you laugh your way into work each morning. Others say Mary McCay helps the workday go by faster. Some of you tell me you enjoy the ride home with me in the afternoons. And many of you share how Kathy Nicholson keeps you company into the evenings.

But radio is more than a one-way conversation.

It’s more than songs. More than contests. More than giving away concert tickets, trucks, vacations, or station swag. More than a jukebox simply playing “The Music That Made Country Great.”

This is a relationship. There are real people behind these microphones… and real people on the other side of the speakers. That relationship is honestly what I missed most when I stepped away from North Georgia radio back in 2005.

Sure, I missed the music. I missed the concerts. I missed the crazy morning show antics Scott Howard and I used to get into every day. But more than anything, I missed the connection with listeners. I missed serving this community. I missed feeling like we were all experiencing life together in real time.

That’s the magic of local radio.

For over 20 years, I was away from it. Then last year, I was blessed with the opportunity to come home to My Country 99.3 WCON, a truly family-owned radio station that has served North Georgia for decades. The Foster family believes in community, connection, and local radio done the right way, and I cannot adequately express how grateful I am to be part of this team and back here where I belong.

And honestly, many days over this past year, you helped carry me.

Through heartbreak. Through grief. Through long afternoons when the “On Air” light came on even though my heart was hurting.

Your kindness, your messages, your prayers, your stories, your hugs at remotes,

concerts, and community events… they mattered more than you know.

You reminded me that radio still matters because people still matter.

And while today has been incredibly difficult, I also feel overwhelming gratitude.

Gratitude for Amy. Gratitude for this community. Gratitude for every single one of you who allow us to be part of your mornings, your workdays, your drives home, and your evenings.

We may be the voices behind the microphones…

…but you are the heartbeat on the other side of the speakers.

And for that, I thank you.