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Preble High School graduate reporting news stories in earthquake-affected Turkey

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GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey a few weeks ago and the aftershocks that followed have been in the news every day.

Journalists far and wide are doing their best to keep you informed about these tragic events.

One of those journalists grew up right here in Northeast Wisconsin.

The work that Priyanka Navani does, and the passion she shows, comes from an early-life influence with her mom, Wendy Fleury, a former NBC 26 reporter.

"I grew up going to all these different standoffs and fires," Navani said. "That's why I'm an adrenaline junkie is because of my mother."

"Priya has a passion for humanity," Fleury said.

Navani is a 2014 graduate from Preble High School.

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Priyanka Navani graduated from Preble High School in 2014. Pictured is her mom, Wendy Fleury (left), and Navani (right).

"I have my one favorite teacher at Preble who has become more of a mentor over the years, Mr. Baudhuin," Navani said.

"She was a power from the moment I met her," Baudhuin said. "When she was in (the classroom), you had to be on your "A" game...She wanted to gobble up every fact of history, because she wanted to change it. She wanted to fix it."

Navani is covering the world as an international correspondent for TRT World.

For three years, she's been telling global stories in Lebanon, and now, in Turkey, including the recent earthquakes that have caused devastation in the country.

"You always want to help amplify the voices of the most marginalized," Navani said. "But in this disaster, it's so big, that it's really tough to find out who that is."

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Priyanka in the field delivering a news report.

Navani is in southern Turkey right now, where she says she is safe.

But Fleury says she gets worried for her.

"But at the same time, I can't hold her back," Fleury said. "She's doing exactly what she wants to do. She's exactly where she wants to be. And she's worked so hard to get there."

Fleury, who hasn't seen Navani in a year and a half, says she is visiting her daughter on Monday.

"I just can't wait to see her again," Fleury said.

"You love her, don't you?," reporter Tyler Job asked.

"Most definitely, yeah," Fleury said. "We're a close-knit family."

Navani's strength and courage goes far beyond her loved ones.

"Honestly of late, I've been checking on her about every two days," Baudhuin said. "You OK? You OK? Because my papa bear claws have kind of taken over in recent years."

"I'm really lucky to have grown up in a place that is so supportive and particularly with teachers that never saw my dreams as too big, but instead, always encouraged me to chase them no matter what," Navani said.

And she is helping change lives around the world.

More of Navani's work covering the world can be found here.