Friday, July 06, 2007

A Houston Legend's Battle with Cancer


It is rare for a whole city to support a local television reporter, especially in the nation's 4th largest city. These days, some reporters are seen as people who are just fighting to get the story, not ones that you would generally call friends or truly trust. This is also a day in age where TV news is over hyped and filled with drama. However, in Houston, viewers will be supporting a local TV personality in a battle for his life. Consumer reporter for local ABC affiliate, KTRK-TV, Marvin Zindler announced yesterday that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This comes from a man who has battled prostate cancer, has had open heart surgery and his gall bladder removed, along with many cosmetic procedures that he has shared with the viewers for many years.


For those of us who have grown up or lived in Houston, Marvin is a character that we all know and love. We can all mimic his legendary tag-line, "Maaaaaaarrvin Zindler, Eyyyeewitness News.." We know him for his Slime in the Ice Machine and can sing that goes along with that. We know him for his work helping out the little guy against companies who try to cheat their customers. We also know him for his charitable work connecting doctors who want to do pro-bono work for children in foreign countries: cleft palates, heart transplants, the whole lot.


Nationally, he is is know for being the only person with a lifetime contract with ABC/Disney for his reporting where he brings in $1 million each year. Also he is well known as being the reporter who broke the news about the Chicken Ranch in La Grange, TX, also known as The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. There have been several movies and a musical made about the event.


Already on KTRK's and the Houston Chronicle's websites, there are messages of well wishes and love for this reporter who has been on the air in Houston since 1973. He is a great reporter and good man. The whole whole city will be pulling for him.


Photo Credit: The Houston Chronicle

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