Cancer Survivor Artist Honors Late Reporter With Portrait

When cancer survivor Brent Billingsley visited Local 12's studio last week, he brought more than paint and canvas. He brought healing for a newsroom still grieving the loss of journalist Liz Bonis, who died last month from colon cancer.

Billingsley, known as Mysta Bee, met Bonis two years ago when she began covering his battle with stage four head and neck cancer. What started as a reporter doing her job became something much deeper.

"You don't expect people to text you at 7 a.m. on the way to the gym to say, 'Hey, how are you doing?'" Billingsley said. Bonis would send him Bible scriptures and even asked him to bring his grandmother on the show because she enjoyed meeting her.

The artist became a regular guest on Bonis's segment, What's Happening in Health, where viewers followed his medical recovery. Through their time together, the two bonded over their shared faith and Bonis's genuine care for the people she covered.

What Billingsley didn't know then was that Bonis was fighting her own private battle with cancer. Even while facing her diagnosis, she continued lifting others up and going the extra mile for the people in her stories.

Last Friday, Billingsley returned to the station to present his finished tribute portrait of Bonis. Using his signature paint-spilling technique, he created the artwork in a healing session with the Local 12 team.

"I believe that what we're able to capture are moments," Billingsley explained. "We're able to capture moments of healing, fellowship, commitment, smiles, and laughter."

Why This Inspires

This story shows how genuine human connection creates ripples we may never fully see. Bonis spent her career telling stories that mattered, supporting people through their hardest moments, and using her platform to spread hope. Now, one of those people is giving back, helping her newsroom family remember the woman who called Local 12 home for more than 20 years.

Billingsley has previously created tribute portraits for other late Local 12 members, including photojournalist James Harrison and anchor John Lomax. His art proves that creativity can be a powerful tool for processing grief and celebrating lives well lived.

The portrait will soon hang in the Local 12 building, a permanent reminder of a journalist who understood that her real job wasn't just reporting the news. It was caring for the people behind the stories.