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Dayne Marae, 27, sits alongside Ryan Cummings, 36, as a news anchor at Wilkes-Barre-based Fox56 TV. You can catch them every weeknight at 10. Keep reading to find out the first thing people say to her when they see her in person. Also, even though she has a self-described horrible memory, read about the TV shows she can recite every word to.

1. I come from a big family. I am the second-oldest of five siblings, and despite being the second “mom” of the household, I am the smallest. When viewers see me in person, the first thing they say is, “You’re a lot smaller than you look on TV!” Ummm? Thanks, I guess. I’m 5 feet 1½ inches tall. If you ever see me standing, it’s on a box that’s about 8 inches off the ground. But wait, how big do I look on camera?

2. Ryan and I are NOT married or in a relationship with each other or even dating. We are just very, very good friends. People ask about that all the time. We hang out outside of work, and I think our friendship translates on air. He is hilarious, so if you ever see us laughing on TV, you can bet that he just said something funny. Life is so much better laughing.

3. I had two knee surgeries before I was a teenager. Soccer was rough on me, so I decided cheerleading would be safer. The joke was on me. I cracked my nose in half on my friend’s face. WORST pain of my life, and I’m still not a huge fan of my nose.

4. I have never taken a dance class in my life, but I can stand on my toes like a ballerina. I can actually run on them, too.

5. I am 100 percent an East Coast girl, but Texas stole my heart. Besides meeting some of the kindest people, I shot a gun and held a snake while working for KRBC News in Abilene. Fun fact: My fingers are too small to cock the gun back, and that rattlesnake I held? Yeah, it musked me. That basically means he was marking his territory. That happened at 11 a.m. Needless to say, I smelled horrible for the entire day, had to anchor three shows, and the smell even got it in my mouth. I’m dying just thinking about this.

6. I probably have the worst memory in the history of the world. While I usually remember names, places, directions and important things people tell me, my memory does not go back far. Despite not remembering what I ate for breakfast, I can recite every word to Pretty Little Liars and The Golden Girls. Picture it … Sicily, 1912 …

7. I have yet to find a movie that actually scares me. I LOVE scary movies!

8. The scariest thing that ever happened to me: When I was on a plane to Florida on June 1, we hit a flock of birds, the engine blew up, and we were slowly losing altitude. This all happened as we were taking off at full speed. We were nose-up when the engine failed and had to level off. It was petrifying to hear the pilot say, “Folks, we’re not in good shape. We hit a flock of birds and the engine failed. We are doing everything we can to get you back on the ground safely.” Needless to say, the story made the national news.

9. If I weren’t a news anchor, I would be a secret agent or spy. Like an actual real one like the parents on the “Spy Kids” movies. Give me someone’s name and I can tell you their life story in a matter of minutes. Never lie to me, because I will fact-check you.

10. Of all my accomplishments, I am most proud of winning an award when I was 10 years old, The Olshen Award. “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” My angel of a mother taught me well. And oh, lastly, my mama is my best friend.

— Written for timesleader.com

Marae says she and co-anchor Ryan Cummings aren’t dating, contrary to what many people think. (Fox56 photo)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_DAYNE-RYAN-56-2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgMarae says she and co-anchor Ryan Cummings aren’t dating, contrary to what many people think. (Fox56 photo)

Marae and Cummings off the air. (Fox56 photo)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_dayne-ryan-3-1.jpg.optimal.jpgMarae and Cummings off the air. (Fox56 photo)

Fun fact: Fox56 news anchor Dayne Marae stands on a box to look taller during telecasts. (Fox 56 photo)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_dayne-1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgFun fact: Fox56 news anchor Dayne Marae stands on a box to look taller during telecasts. (Fox 56 photo)