KARE 11 anchor Jason Hackett shares his coming out story with viewers

A little over a year after debuting on Twin Cities screens as KARE 11's newest "Sunrise" anchor, Jason Hackett shared his coming out story with faithful viewers last week.

The anchor introduced a segment centered around his feature in Lavender, the Twin Cities-based LGBTQ+ magazine , in which he discussed his sexuality with a wider audience for the first time in his career.

In the first-person piece, Hackett says that during his career he has typically told his colleagues he's gay once he got to know them, "but never people in the community."

"Every community I’ve worked and lived in, it’s been a thing I’ve kept to myself. This would be the first time that people in my community are aware that, 'Okay, he is gay,' which for me is important.”

Speaking to KARE 11 viewers in a segment that has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media, Hackett says: "I'm so nervous right now, this is the most people I've ever come out to at once, but what me and Alicia (Lewis) and John (Zeigler) and Cece (Gaines) strive for is authenticity, and I can't preach that without being my authentic self.

"So I want to say a big thank you to KARE 11 for allowing me the space more than any other station I've worked at in the past 13 years to just be me. I'm also thankful for my amazing friends, my partner, my family and everyone who has supported me along this journey."

"And for anyone who is watching this now who is struggling to find acceptance, or struggling with their family or friends, take it from me, a gay, black, son of immigrants, the road may not be easy, I won't lie to you and say that it is, but don't worry, keep going, you're going to make it."

Hackett's comments sparked an emotional response from Lewis, who was on the verge of tears, and meteorologist Zeigler.

You can watch it below: