Meet Pilot Jim Gardner at Braum’s Affair of the Heart

Since 1985, Braum’s Affair of the Heart has grown from a small Oklahoma City gathering of 60 booths and 800 shoppers into one of the region’s most beloved arts, crafts, and small‑business showcases.

For decades, Affair of the Heart has championed artisans, crafters, makers, and entrepreneurs—celebrating creativity in all its forms.

This year, visitors can meet Pilot Jim Gardner, a name many Oklahomans recognize from the skies above breaking news, severe weather, and historic moments. With more than 40 years of aviation experience and over 14,000 flight hours, Jim’s career became part of Oklahoma’s daily life—flying for KCAL in Los Angeles before returning home to serve as an airborne reporter for KFOR and later KWTV until his retirement in 2025.

From covering the O.J. Simpson chase to tracking tornadoes and wildfires, Jim’s work earned him national respect, 12 Emmy Awards, 15 Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Awards, and recognition from both the Governor of Oklahoma and major aviation organizations. He was also featured on Discovery Channel’s In the Eye of the Storm.

Jim brings a different kind of craftsmanship to Affair of the Heart—stories, history, and a lifetime spent above the headlines. Visitors can explore:

Exclusive merchandise celebrating his aviation career

Opportunities to connect, chat, and share memories of the moments Oklahomans watched unfold from his helicopter