Kelly Frey is a well-known name in the world of broadcasting, a profession she is so passionate about and has dedicated over two decades of her life to, doing it with ease and diligence and garnering awards. Having been able to win her battle over breast cancer through proper medical care, she now sensitizes and educates the viewing public on her ordeal – for her effort, the journalist earned the prestigious Pittsburgher of the Year award. The news anchor works with WTAE, an ABC – affiliated TV station where she anchors the popular News 4 This Morning.
Kelly Frey Commenced Work As a Reporter Immediately After Her University Graduation
Kelly Frey’s career as a reporter took off after her University education with a local cable television program known as Hometown News located in Monroe in the city of angels. She anchored for KTBS in Shreveport, Los Angeles, and hosted morning shows on KTVE in El Dorado, Arkansas. After a successful stay in LA, the TV host returned to Western Pennsylvania with basic knowledge in broadcasting.
Returning to her home Pennsylvania, the blossoming news reporter joined WTAW, an ABC-affiliated television station in 2000 where she currently holds sway as the anchor of Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 This Morning. Kelly is still part of the station and has recorded a lot of career successes there.
Hard work, as they say, pays and the rewards for a job well done come in different measures. This is the case with Kelly Frey as her contributions to journalism and broadcasting have not gone unnoticed. The reporter has been amply rewarded for her sacrifice.
Frey’s day came in 2018 when the Pennsylvanian native became a recipient of the famous Gracia Award. The award came from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation in New York City. Talk of prominence; the journalist has also earned it from the media as she is a known personality.
The Reporter Joggles Family Life with Her Career
Kelly Frey has successfully combined her career with family life. She is happily married to Jason Luhn, a Florida native and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard. Kelly’s husband is stationed at Pittsburgh International Airport where he serves as tanker pilot. Nobody knows the exact date they exchanged their marital vows, but the couple already has two children – a daughter named Marena Aubrey and a son named Bennett.
Kelly Frey’s Son Bennett Is Living With Dandy-Walker Syndrome
Kelly Frey’s son, Bennett, was born in 2009 with a medical condition (brain malformation) known as Dandy-Walker Syndrome – a hereditary brain malformation, epilepsy, and hydrocephalus. Medical findings have shown that Dandy-Walker occurs with varying effects. In Bennett’s case, the child was born with virtually no cerebellum – that part of the brain that controls both gross and fine motor skills. Besides, the condition compromised the boy’s brain stem as a result of fluid filling up in one of his brain ventricles but cant drain efficiently. All these conditions combined cause the little boy to have constant seizures in addition to major physical and cognitive developmental delays.
After the diagnosis of the disease, brain surgery was carried out by many doctors, the little boy came out unscathed and has been getting stronger since he went under the knife. During his surgery, the parents hired a photographer from a non-profit organization known as Now I Lay Me Down who took pictures of the surgery process and shared on the page specially dedicated to the boy known as Building For Bennett.
In Addition to Her Work and Health Issues, Kelly Frey Personally Cares for Her Son
Being the mother of a child with special needs is not an easy task and the same can be said for Kelly Frey’s case as Bennett’s condition calls for around-the-clock care. Even with her recent cancer diagnosis, chemotherapy and remission, the Pennsylvanian native continued to provide uninterrupted daily care for Bennett, Kelly sets a powerful inspirational example for all caregivers who struggle to give their best in all aspect of their lives. One notable fact about Frey is that she does it all with unwavering faith, an unbreakable spirit, and an electric smile that never fails to energize everyone she meets.
Because of their son’s special needs, Frey and Jason renovated their Victorian Pittsburgh home to accommodate the little boy’s needs. This was done in a bid to provide him with in-house care as opposed to outsourcing his care to a facility. The renovation was quite extensive involving a spacious family room, a two-story, 1,700-square-foot wheelchair-accessible addition with an elevator, and a second-floor bedroom. There is also a handicap bathroom for Bennett, in addition to a portable mesh-enclosed Safety Sleeper bed that prevents the boy from falling out at night. More importantly, the couple installed cameras over Bennett’s bed so the Luhn’s can check to ensure he’s not having a silent seizure.
Life in The Luhn Family Practically Revolves Around Bennett
Their days are structured around Bennett’s care and their lives around his daily needs. The couple monitors his health and is on a constant search for the latest in treatment, equipment, and therapy. They have to contend with daily phone calls regarding insurance, reorder supplies, and meet doctor appointments. All the while with the realization that they are just one sickness or one seizure from another trip to the intensive care unit.
Kelly Frey has a Facebook page called Building for Bennett through which the journalist shares her day to day experience in caring for her special needs child. The page has accrued over 16,000 followers. Her hardships notwithstanding, Kelly seems to take all in her stride and no one watching her on TV will ever imagine that she has so much to contend with at the home front. She has always been known to treat people well on TV and her colleagues have confirmed that she is even a better person away from the screen. the reporter is loved by the people she works with.
Kelly Frey Won Her Battle With Cancer
In early 2017, Kelly Frey found a lump in her breast following which she was diagnosed with breast cancer which luckily for her was still at stage 1. Although she was mentally disturbed at the news, she became stronger and shared the news with her husband – Jason Luhn.
The TV host also shared her story with her news network. She leveraged her official Facebook account to share videos and photos of herself as she started losing her hair due to the effect of her chemo at the Hillman Cancer Center. On the 22nd of November 2017, the news reporter shared a live-video of her operation when the lump was removed.
Kelly Had The Support Of family And Friends Throughout The Duration Of Her Treatment
Her openness about the whole process earned her support from friends, colleagues, including viewers. While she was still undergoing treatment, Frey used the opportunity to sensitize cancer victims on the best ways to overcome the ailment which endeared her to the hearts of many.
With support from her husband, colleagues, friends, and well-wishers, she overcame the ailment and became cancer-free. The reporter’s bravery during the traumatizing period and the cancer awareness she created earned her Pittsburgher of the Year Award. Additionally, she graced the cover page of Pittsburgh Magazine in their January 2018 issue.
