As the families of two WDBJ7 television station employees mourn the loss of their loved ones following the horrific fatal shooting incident at Smith Mountain Lake on Aug. 26, there’s a worldwide congregation of brothers and sisters that mourn with them.

Millions of journalists, writers, photographers, camera operators, editors and other media workers in Virginia, the U.S. and across the world are thinking and praying for the families of the late Adam Ward and Alison Parker who were killed during a live broadcast.

They both were gunned down in their workplace environment within one of the communities that they served.

Though admittedly our jobs are not nearly the most dangerous professions in the world, our environment and society are rapidly changing.

Reporters, photographers and videographers are often times some of the first folks on location at crime scenes, vehicle accidents, public meetings and civic gatherings.

Where’s the danger in that for journalists, you may ask.

According to the Associated Press, at least 60 journalists around the world were killed in 2014 while on the job or because of their work, citing a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists.

An “unusually high proportion,” or about one-fourth, of journalists killed in 2014 were working internationally, though the overwhelming number of journalists threatened continue to be local, the New York-based organization’s report said.

While the casualties stemmed from war and conflict in different parts of the world, “they remind us of the daily courage and sacrifices made by professional journalists to bring back the news and information that so many rely on and take for granted,” said the AP’s John Daniszewski.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our brother and sister journalists and the families who’ve lost loved ones.

JORDAN MILES is managing editor of Farmville Newsmedia LLC. His email address is jordan.miles@farmvilleherald.com