Hallerin Hill's humble beginnings in Knoxville

LaSaundra Brown: "I'm here on the KAT bus with Triple H, Hallerin Hilton Hill and you're probably wondering why we're on the KAT bus doing this interview. This is where it all started for Hallerin--some 20 years ago back in 1990, you came here to Knoxville."

Hallerin Hill: "I had been in the U.S. Virgin Islands running a radio station, and Hurricane Hugo happened, and I lost everything. I came back to Knoxville to start over. I didn't have a car. I didn't have furniture. I was living in a rented room at my sister's house and I got around--well, I had a chauffeur. the KAT bus."

LaSaundra: "Now when you came here (Knoxville), you were not just a single guy who had lost everything. you had a family?"

Hallerin: "I had a wife, and I had a son who was one year old--he's 21 now--and we were starting over."

At the time, Hallerin didn't know where his family's next meal would come from. But he knew he had a passion for radio. He started his career in radio at 15 years old and was general manager of a station by age 23. When he came to Knoxville, he sought out a job at WIVK Radio.

Hallerin: "I was told that if you wanted to work for the number one company in town, you weren't gonna just walk in the door and get hired. And I actually walked in the door and got hired."

Hallerin: "Mr. James Dick and Bobby Denton, they were there, and there was a woman at the top of the stairs, and she was the news anchor."

Hallerin: "She was pretty upset cause she wanted to be off during the holidays." "They said they didn't have any jobs, I said, 'Why don't you let me solve a problem? I can fill in.'"

Mr. Dick agreed to hire Hallerin for 90 days. But his temporary job turned into 20 years as an on-air personality.

Today the "Triple H Morning Show" is the top rated morning drive talk radio show in the state. Hallerin's show covers everything from politics to pop culture. But Hal's heart is about encouraging people.

Hallerin: "If I can make you laugh, if I can make you smile, if I can make you think, if I can make you know that life can be better that's what I love."

With his passion for telling great stories and encouraging people, Hallerin decided to branch out into television, creating his own show "Anything is Possible," now in its seventh season on WBIR.

Aside from his love of TV and radio, Hallerin is also passionate about music. He's a singer, song writer and producer. In fact, a song he co-wrote, "Who Would Imagine a King," was performed by Whitney Houston in the movie "The Preacher's Wife."

"It holds the distinction actually of the biggest selling gospel record of all time," he says.  

A great accomplishment, but Hallerin's recent physical transformation has made for one of the biggest successes in his life.

LaSaundra: "You've lost a lot of weight what brought this on, this lifestyle change for you?"

Hallerin: "Being sick and tired of being sick and tired, pure and simple. I just got tired of feeling bad all the time. I was eating emotionally. I mean, if I were down or having a tough day, I would just kind of eat."

Hallerin: "I got up to near 300 pounds, I couldn't walk a block without being out of breath. What happens is that really starts to affect the quality of your life experience. You can't play with your kids, you can't be enthusiastic about your work."

So, Hallerin changed his diet and began exercising every day. Shedding the pounds has not only made him feel better, but has inspired others.

Hallerin: "I want to be part of whatever it is that's helping people get better. I think my life motto is grow, help others grow, and I know I'm happiest when I'm helping other people grow."

Humbled by his life experiences, Hallerin is most grateful for his faith in God and the love and support from his family.

Hallerin: "I love God and the source of my success has not been me at all. My life, the success, making it through the tough times, is purely a function of God's grace in my life. I was on the bus 20 years ago, with no idea where the next meal was coming from, and I'm gonna eat all right today."