Jon Burnett, a beloved TV host and journalist, passed away just one year after revealing his interest in donating his brain to science. Burnett was a respected CBS Pittsburgh weather forecaster before his death on Thursday, February 20 at age 71.
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The former KDKA-TV host passed away due to suspected complications from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). This is according to Dr. Joseph Malone, a Cognitive Neurologist, as per KDKA. The station described him as "authentic, original, talented and compassionate."
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Burnett revealed in February 2024 that doctors diagnosed him with this neurological condition. According to Mayo Clinic, CTE is typically caused by repeated head injuries and can cause the death of nerve cells in your brain.
Around the same time, Burnett decided to work with the National Sports Brain Bank at the University of Pittsburgh. This organization has focused on researching and treating brain disorders like CTE.
CBS Pittsburgh shared a heartwarming post on Instagram announcing the host's tragic death. "Beloved former KDKA-TV personality Jon Burnett has died. Remembered as authentic, original, talented and compassionate, he leaves behind an incredible legacy."
Burnett retired in 2019 after a long career in journalism. The TV personality first joined KDKA in 1982 as the new co-host of Evening Magazine. His co-host, Liz Miles, talked highly of him after his death. "We traveled around the world together," she said. "Jon used to say we take people around the world and around the corner."
After his retirement, Burnett suffered from a few serious health issues. This included memory loss and other various neurological problems. Doctors believed his CTE to stem from his years of playing football throughout his childhood and college years.
CBS recalled how Burnett's former coworkers remembered him as a "genuine, caring person" both on and off the screen. This Knoxville, Tennessee native had an instant charm with viewers. "There's something that comes through that screen and you really can't fool it," said Mary Robb Jackson, Evening Magazine co-host. "I think Jon was just a natural."
After hosting both Evening Magazine and Pittsburgh 2Day till their end in the early 90s, Jon went back to being a weather forecaster. It wasn't easy returning to his roots before he arrived at KDKA. Still, he "took that challenge on with the same energy," said KDKA NewsRadio's Larry Richert.
Jon then became a "trusted member" of the weather team for nearly 30 years. Former KDKA meteorologist Dennis Bowman described Burnett as someone viewers wouldn't mind having in their "living room live and in person."
