Dana Hunsinger BenbowIndianapolis Star| Times Herald-Record
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — She jogged by the early morning tailgaters setting up their spreads, smells of barbecue and grilled meats wafting through the air. She ran past the University of Notre Dame's football stadium to the sound of "Here Come the Irish." She ran through campus, the sun glistening off the buildings, then around the lake and on to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Martha MacCallum stopped there at the grotto. Finally. The stones covered in ivy, the statue of Mary. This is peace for MacCallum. This is her escape.
Just hours before that Saturday morning run, MacCallum was covering the impeachment hearings Friday then breaking it all down on her prime time program "The Story with Martha MacCallum" on Fox News.
She got on a plane Friday night and was in South Bend for a twilight dinner at the Embassy Suites hotel bar, a dinner with the person that explains why MacCallum's in the land of Pete Buttigieg.
This time it's not Buttigieg or politics. It's Notre Dame football.
MacCallum is the mother of junior linebacker Reed Gregory, a sophom*ore walk-on at Notre Dame, who was a standout player at Delbarton School in Morristown, N.J. Gregory chose to attend Notre Dame, passing up a chance to play at programs that were recruiting him.
Gregory doesn't see much playing time. But every game as he runs through the tunnel...."I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, how on earth am I here?'" he tells his mom.
MacCallum loves her son's passion for the university and the football program. And she loves supporting him. If at all possible — she is Fox News' lead political anchor — she is in South Bend for each home game.
"This is just such a wonderful escape for me," MacCallum said Saturday before kickoff of the Navy game.
An escape from the wild, chaotic, hectic world of politics.
'Such a joyful part of my life'
There's no way really to explain the pace of Washington politics or the pressure of covering it. "We're in the middle of an impeachment, we're heading into an election," said MacCallum, "so work is very intense."
In addition to appearing on "The Story" each night at 7, MacCallum hosts political debates, town halls and special election-night coverage. She recently co-anchored a town hall featuring 2020 Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders and Julian Castro.
"I love that side of my life. It's an amazing privilege, really, to be able to witness all of these historic events and to cover them," she said. "But to be able to get out here on a weekend on a beautiful day like this and be surrounded by people who love Notre Dame...it's just such a joyful part of my life."
In front of "Touchdown Jesus" — officially named the Word of Life Mural —covering one side of the Theodore M. Hesburgh Library on campus, MacCallum waited Saturday morning. She waited for the parade of football players to come by.
MacCallum knew exactly where the defense would be walking to high five the crowd as players made their way to the stadium in blue blazers and khaki pants. MacCallum and her husband, Daniel Gregory, got a front-row spot.
As Reed Gregory passed by, he grabbed his mom for a hug. There it was. Another wonderful escape.
'I'm going to try out'
For as long as MacCallum can remember, Gregory has been playing sports. His first word was "ball."
"He's just always been a kid that needed to go, go, go," she said of her middle child.
Gregory played three sports in high school — football in the fall, squash in the winter and lacrosse in the spring.
"He just always loved being on the field, being competitive," MacCallum said. "Having the camaraderie of being on a team was always really important to him."
When it was time to decide on a college, Gregory was recruited by "some very good schools in the northeast to play football," MacCallum said.
But he really wanted to attend Notre Dame. His intention was to play club lacrosse, get involved in some other campus activities and focus on his studies.
"But as soon as he got here and he caught wind of all this?" said MacCallum. "And watched the games? He said, 'I'm going to try out.'"
Gregory started working out and put on weight. When he tried out his sophom*ore season, he made the team.
"He just loves being part of it," MacCallum said. "It's just an amazing experience for him. It's a lot of hard work and we're really proud of him."
dbenbow@indystar.com
Twitter: @DanaBenbow
