PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Jon Burnett was one of Pittsburgh’s favorite on-air personalities for 36 years.
At KDKA-TV, he co-hosted Evening Magazine, Pittsburgh Today, did the weather and co-hosted Pittsburgh Today Live for 11 years.
Burnett was always known for his adventurous and spontaneous spirit, willing to try anything like rappelling down a high rise, driving a jeep over boulders or racing on Big Wheels.
Burnett retired five years ago when he was 65, but many people don’t know he’s been facing some major health challenges since then, and he recently got a diagnosis. His neurologist says he has suspected CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a progressive brain disease caused by repetitive blows to the head. It’s suspected because the only way to definitively diagnose CTE is with an autopsy of the brain.
Before Burnett was on TV, he was on another stage: the football field. Burnett and his family wanted to share their story for many reasons. To help everyone better understand CTE, to help others who may face it, to remove the stigma around brain disease and to continue Burnett’s legacy of giving back to the Pittsburgh community.
Jon, his wife Debbie and his adult children Samantha and Eric sat down to talk with KDKA-TV’s Kristine Sorensen, who remains friends with Burnett after 20 years working together on the anchor desk and as PTL co-hosts.
Kristine says she has seen Burnett’s short-term memory worsen over the past several years, as well as his walk and his voice. She asked him about it and how retirement is going.
“I spent some of my time wishing that my voice wasn’t gone,” Burnett said. “It’s just this is the best I can do. This is a good day. My wife Debbie’s here. What is wrong with me? What’s wrong with my throat?”
Burnett asks his wife of 48 years to help him remember a lot of things. And through it all, he understands what’s happening.
“She’s my brains. Somebody would have to be,” he says.
Kristine asks Jon, “What does it feel like when you can’t remember something? Is it frustrating or what is it you go through?”
“It’s not as frustrating as it once was,” Burnett says, “because I’m growing accustomed to it. I guess it’s familiar.”
Jon’s short-term memory has been declining for 10 years, but other symptoms have gotten worse in the last two, including shuffling and reduced facial expression.
Debbie doesn’t leave him alone at all since he had a choking incident and is now on a soft-food diet. He’s not…
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