This "rumor" first appeared on some blogs late Tuesday night... that WDAF-TV morning weatherperson Don Harman had passed away.
Other than the Pitch- virtually no other Kansas City news media is reporting this story and there's been absolutely no mention on Channel 4's morning newscast I've been enduring for the past 45 minutes (and ended at 10 a.m. without nary a mention of Mr. Harman!).
It seems that the fill-in weather person Karli Ritter(?)seems rather sad this morning (forced smiles)- but there appears to be the usual buffoonery around the "news" desk.
Anyway- the rumor mill from last night had it that somehow 41-year-old Mr. Harman committed suicide- but that hasn't been confirmed either since it's (mostly the) policy of local news media to not report suicides.
All the above information had been confirmed as of Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. Harman passed away as a result of suicide in his south Kansas City home around 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Regardless- I'm sure I feel as you do in passing on my most sincere condolences to Don Harman's friends and family in this overwhelming time....
17 comments:
I doubt he's passed. I can't find any definitive answers.
Just rumors.
He died last night... no foul play suspected.
No one's reporting it yet because some of his immediate family don't know yet.
Via Fox morning News Facebook:
Fox 4 KC Morning News
Good morning.
We know many of you have questions.
We appreciate your concern, and we consider you our friends.
But please remember that family comes first.
We're honoring that right now, and we ask that you join us in that.
Please bear with us for a little while longer.
-Loren & Mark
It's confirmed...apparent suicide.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/30/3294132/fox-4s-don-harman-dead-at-41.html
TODAY is Wednesday. How did it happen late Wednesday night? I think the article means late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning.
Suicide by what?
Who cares how he did it it's over and it's done.
Go find something to do to get your mind off it.
Dont be an ass Superdave the people that watched him on the news for 12 years have questions that no one wants to answer but from what my sources say is that he had an affair and got the other women pregnant.
I heard that his wife was the one having an affair amd that he finally just broke.
Superdave; I am one who cares how and why Harmon did himself in. So far the press coverage of this tragedy has been something akin to the fable of, "Three Blind Mice". Don Harman was a public figure and the local press has failed in the obligation to keep the public informed, rather choosing to dodge or cover up. I sure don't remember Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, David Carradine, Rock Hudson, Peter Jennings or scores of others plain folk "passing away", without plenty of digging and reporting by the media when there were the makings of a nice smutty scandal.
It seems quite normal that a perfectly normal person would want to know the truth about a public figure's death without being socially impotent, blood-thirsty or preoccupied. It is blatantly clear that the local media has allowed a connection to this person to overshadow a responsibility to objectively report a legitimate story.
Perhaps every family in Kansas City should be given the same pass that was handed out in this situation next time the media wants to stick their professional noses in the aftermath a crime scene or some silly local scandal.
Hanged. Be respectful of his family. Please.
Is it true there was an investigation involving child exploitation?
This was the most amazing news embargo I had ever seen--it truly was a silence. In between being a bit annoyed, I was impressed. When I found out that it was because his dad was out of contact, I was glad it was done. I have no plans to commit suicide, but if I were to pass in a public way, I wouldn't want my mother to find out via some media outlet, either traditional or social.
I mainly was hearing via Facebook, friends who had heard or seen something on various grapevines. I put a note on SKC Observer's Facebook page, but did not even use the initials of the potential deceased because I could not corroborate at all the info I had from any reliable source. When the embargo broke at 1200, I noted it.
It would be good in the future that the media be equally respectful of the families of victims of public tragedies (homicides, accidents, and so forth).
The Observer
I fully agree with The Observer. When my boss' plane went down in Overland Park in 2005, killing all those on board, the media frenzied and foamed at the mouth. It was all over the morning news within 10 minutes of the crash and none of the victims next of kin had been notified. 15 minutes after the crash Johnny Rowlands was doing a flyover and a few minutes after that I got a very distraught phone call from one of the victim's adult children whom I told to stay away from the office because news vans were already pulling up, knocking on the door, wanting to scoop a story. None of the crash victims were prominent or famous, no politicians, no sports figures.
No one wants to ask the tough question, so I will. They are plastering info about suicide prevention, hot line numbers, etc. all over the place. This is good, since suicide is more prevalent that murder, in this country.
HOWEVER, no one is broaching the subject of the role WORKPLACE BULLYING may have played in aggravating Don's depression disorder.
Your thoughts?
Anon 3:32 am: That is so very sick- makes me glad I'm only a contract player in the local news media!
Anon 3:35 am: I really- REALLY doubt it was "workplace bullying."
I've worked with Mike Thompson- Don's immediate boss- for years (since Mike worked at KCTV and we both worked at WDAF in the 1990's)and Mike's one Hell of a nice fellow.
Virtually all of the accounts I've read regarding Don's depression is that he had "The Blues" for quite a long time- so I think it was just a bunch of stuff was piled on Mr. Harman's mind so much he simply couldn't deal with it anymore.
You know- I wish all these people so dang curious HOW Don Harman died would simply divert their energies and PRAY for Don's family and friends.
Right now- MANY of them are wondering deep inside if there wasn't something they could have done to prevent this tragedy.
Once again Groucho you hit the nail square on the head.
They the people have to know if it does not pertain to them but if it does they get mad if it's news.
And suicide in the home is a different news story over a plane that goes down in a neighhood.
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