KC MO - Suicide of popular meteorologist stuns colleagues, viewers

Fox 4 weather forecaster Don Harman took his own life Tuesday, casting a pall Wednesday over Kansas City’s top-rated morning newscast.

The 41-year-old native of Marietta, Ohio, was found by his wife, Monica Johns, at their south Kansas City home shortly before 5 p.m. Police said the death was a suicide.

Fox 4, WDAF, held off announcing the news of Harman’s death because it wanted to reach Harman’s 79-year-old father, Gordon, in Ohio. But he was traveling, and in the 18 hours that it took to locate him, word leaked out of the station and onto social networks and blogs.
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At noon, Fox 4’s Kathy Quinn broadcast a statement from the station confirming Harman’s death.

“To all of us, Don was like family and the news comes as a great shock to all the people he worked with at Fox 4,” the statement read.

Fox 4’s dilemma in reporting Harman’s death was understandable, said Robert Steele, who teaches journalism ethics at DePauw University in Indiana.

“At some point, however, it’s very difficult to hold back on the story about this person who is very much a public figure,” Steele said.
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Harman is survived by his wife and a daughter.
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Mark Alford, who worked with Mr Harman for more than a decade, said his colleague was disturbed at work Tuesday, the day he went home and killed himself.

'He was in a mood that day,' Mr Alford said.

He paused. Trying to regain his voice: 'You know, we always tried to...'
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davehead21 said:

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/wd...uggle-too-please-dont-ever-stop-trying_b31005

I think all the info in this article (including the videos) have already been posted. But there is an interesting comment in the comment section. Apparently Don worked with Jodi Huisentruit when she was abducted. I didn't know that until now....just kind of an interesting tidbit.

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Jack said:

Wow that is interesting. All of this reminds me of a meteorologist in my area who committed suicide by nosediving his small airplane into the ground. There was a whole lot more to the story that most people would not have ever known about had he not chosen to commit suicide. Strange what people perceive as important when they feel they are in a crisis. I feel for anyone who thinks suicide is their only way out of their problems, for the problems could probably dealt with if the emotions could be overcome.

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