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.