Posted at 11:41 AM, Sep 29, 2014 . Two surgeries to remove the cancer were performed before chemotherapy treatments could begin. He anchored the U.S. 4×100-meter freestyle relay team that won the gold medal and set a new world record. KSHB's Gary Lezak has been on the air since 1999. by Dan Avery 12/25/2017 A Kansas City weatherman took his holiday message as an opportunity to come out to viewers as gay and in a relationship. Lezak and his partner, Andy Caraway, received overwhelming support in comments and messages following Lezak’s announcement.
He established himself and his weather team as the most accurate in Kansas City and has been No. Nathan Adrian, Michael Phelps, Cullen Jones and Ryan Lochte swam in the finals, and together all these competitors earned a silver medal for the team's second-place finish in the finals. [15] At the 2009 Maccabiah Games, Lezak won gold medals in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and 4×100-meter medley relay. After high school, Gary went to the University of Oklahoma to change his hobby into a career. In 2019 the inaugural year of the league the Condors finished third place in the finals. Lezak added it is his hope that by sharing his story, others will feel more comfortable to be themselves as well.
In 1992, Gary got another big break and moved to KC, where he has now been for more than 25 years. Caraway worked as a secondary schoolteacher in the Kansas City area. By far, the biggest challenge in Gary's life was being diagnosed with cancer in 1999. degree in meteorology and started what would become a successful broadcasting career. Sign up for email alerts and be the first to know when news breaks. He got his first big break in 1986 when he became the morning meteorologist at KWTV-TV in Oklahoma City. He shares his cancer experience and his passion for weather when he takes Sunny the Weather Dog with him to his public appearances. Lezak has called Kansas City home for more than 25 years. [3] The name Lezak is pronounced Leh-Zhack and is Polish (short e). The goal for coming out publicly now, Lezak wrote, is to bring awareness and hope to others, especially young people who are dealing with sexuality issues. [4] [5], Lezak serves as the general manager for the Cali Condors which is part of the International Swimming League. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Lezak was the oldest male on the U.S. swim team. [9], In the final race of these games Lezak anchored the U.S. 4×100-meter medley relay to a gold medal securing Michael Phelps final gold medal to break Mark Spitz record.[10]. Windy the Weather Dog was on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2000, and Breezy, Stormy and now Sunny have continued the long tradition of Gary having dogs share some time on the news set each Friday. Had he gotten married? “It can be quite scary. Channel 41 weatherman Gary Lezak says on Facebook he’s gay: ‘You are born this way’, Homicide investigation underway in KCK after relatives find woman dead: police, Woman sues KU, Lawrence police a year after prosecutors drop false rape report case, Man killed after allegedly firing upon KC police was suspect in homicide days earlier, Girl who went missing Monday afternoon found safe in Kansas City, Police say, Davids and Adkins spar on COVID-19, health care policy in final 3rd District debate, After criticism, Overland Park won’t use $350K in COVID-19 relief money for soccer, Kansas City area gets its first snow of the season; hard freeze expected for some. “And so basically that’s what these (the rings) were symbolizing — asking Andy to be my partner for life, and he said, ‘Yes,’ and we’ve had this incredible almost 20 years together.”.
Jason started swimming when he was very young, and, at the age of ten, participated in the junior Olympics. Both teams finished nearly four seconds ahead of the previous world record.
Since he was five years old he has been fascinated by weather with clouds being his most favorite topic as a kid. (Happy tears). “I’ve been wanting to do this for a very, very long time.”. “Bible still says it is a Sin,” she wrote. Reaction to Lezak’s announcement has been overwhelmingly positive, he said. Lezak attended El Camino Real Elementary School (now Woodbury Elementary School) and Irvine High School, as well as the University of California, Santa Barbara. That changed on Tuesday when Lezak announced he is gay in a Facebook post. The name Lezak is pronounced Leh-Zhack and is Polish (short e). Growing up in Southern California, clouds and rain fascinated him, and his hobby began around age 5. “It’s rather incredible watching and experiencing Kansas City have this support for this whole moment,” Lezak said. Gary Lezak once wore a ring on the air. “Love is love is love is love. I am hoping to be a good role model for the LGBTQ community.”. As the top finishing American team, the Condors were led by high scorers Caeleb Dressel and Lilly King. Growing up in Southern California, clouds and rain fascinated him, and his hobby began around age 5. Gary grew up in Southern California in the western San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles. At that time, he’d been with his partner for about four years. An animal lover, Gary has been known to share air-time with his well-known dogs. “If you’re born this way, how can it be a sin?”. [8], Lezak also earned his first individual Olympic medal, having tied for bronze with Brazilian swimmer César Cielo Filho in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 47.67.
[7] The American team's final time of 3:08:24 was just 0.08 seconds ahead of the French team's 3:08.32, making it the closest finish in the event's history. “I decided to take the ring off because I wasn’t ready to come out yet,” the KSHB chief meteorologist told The Star. [6]. glezak Gary developed a passion for weather as he learned his first words. Lezak qualified for his fourth Olympics at the 2012 United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. Connect to local news for just $4.99 a month for 12 months. Lezak earned his first long-course international swimming gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he was part of the 4×100-meter medley relay in the Olympics in Sydney. In 1985 he got a few breaks, graduated with his B.S. But then he took it off because of questions about his marital status. A Kansas City area broadcast met (Gary Lezak) often touts his own weather cycling theory and states that the weather pattern sets up in the fall and cycles over and over again through the winter and spring and is very predictable. Only six adults a year are diagnosed with the same form of cancer in the United States. Lezak passed up on attending the 2009 World Aquatics Championships to compete in the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel from July 12 to 29, 2009. and last updated 2016-09-19 15:58:14-04. [14] Lezak was given the honor of lighting the Maccabiah torch at the Opening Ceremony. At the start of the leg, Lezak trailed French anchor Alain Bernard by nearly a full body length. He also has written a beautiful children's story called “It’s A Sunny Life.” In Gary’s free time, he works out and enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, the Chiefs, Royals and Sporting KC.
However, his interest in athletics spanned many sports – basketball, baseball, soccer, and water polo – several of which he continued to play in high school. He is a former American competition swimmer who specialized in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races. It wasn’t until after his collegiate swimming career at the University of California, Santa Barbara that his professional rise began. Nice to meet you, Andy,” wrote one person in a comment on Facebook.
It was a very rare form called extra-skeletal osteogenic sarcoma. Lezak has also won seven U.S. Championships, three times in the 50-meter freestyle and four in the 100-meter freestyle. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Though he’s been out to colleagues and friends for years, this was his first public acknowledgment to the many people who watch him on Channel 41. [16], At the 2017 Maccabiah Games, in the special 4x50m relay race between Israeli and American all-star teams, American Olympic champions Lezak, Lenny Krayzelburg (four Olympic golds), and Anthony Ervin (three Olympic golds), with masters swimmer Alex Blavatnik, swam a time of 1:48.23 and defeated Israeli Olympians Guy Barnea, Yoav Bruck, Eran Groumi, and Tal Stricker, who had a time of 1:51.25. Gary developed a passion for weather as he learned his first words. “That’s part of my message,” Lezak said.
He currently serves as the general manager of the Cali Condors which is part of the International Swimming League. In the final 25 meters, with Bernard still leading by half a body length, Lezak overtook Bernard. 3,532 talking about this.
The weather was seemingly uneventful at times in the LA area, but he didn’t know any better and found all types of weather fascinating.
He said he has been out to fellow employees and friends since his arrival. “Young people who may be struggling with their sexuality, and their parents who may be trying to process it all as well, I know it is not easy,” he wrote.
A peer-reviewed paper was published in 2018, so Gary is now an author of a scientific discovery. [11] At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, Jimmy Feigen, Matt Grevers, Ricky Berens and Lezak swam for the U.S. team in the preliminaries. Lezak also won a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and finished fifth in the 50-meter freestyle. His sixth-place finish in the Olympic Trial finals was good enough to reach the London Games as a member of the U.S. 4×100-meter freestyle relay team. “Just beautiful, Gary! He states it this way: The Lezak's Recurring Cycle (or LRC) is a theory developed by Gary Lezak. In 1999, Gary became Chief Meteorologist at KSHB, 41 Action News. 1 in forecasting not only during his time at KSHB but since he arrived here in 1992. The doctors discovered it was very aggressive and recommended Gary undergo extensive chemotherapy to ensure the cancer was removed from his body. He is Jewish. [2] He is Jewish.
Gary developed a passion for weather as he learned his first words. “I haven’t worn the ring, but tonight I think I’m going to wear the ring (on the air),” he said. Lezak competed in several events at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and was a member of the 4×100-meter medley relay team that set a new world record and earned another gold medal at the games. Lezak has competed in four Olympic Games, in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012, and has won eight Olympic medals; two bronze, two silver, and four gold. In the 1980s, Gary discovered that the weather patterns were cycling and accurate weather forecasts could be made using this new technology.
The chief meteorologist for KSHB Channel 41 says he’s lived … KSHB-TV, virtual channel 41 (UHF digital channel 36), is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri, United States and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area.The station is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, as part of a duopoly with Lawrence, Kansas-licensed independent station KMCI-TV (channel 38). Gary is now cancer-free since 2000 and celebrates every day! I’m literally in tears. Jason Edward Lezak (born November 12, 1975) is an American swimming executive. “This is 2001. Lezak, who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in 1999 but was told he was cured 15 years later, said he will celebrate the 20th anniversary of meeting his partner in February. At the time, Lezak's split of 46.06 was the fastest 100-meter freestyle split ever by nearly 0.6 seconds (at the 2019 World Championships Duncan Scott swam a 46.14 in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay to reduce that margin to 0.08 seconds). His pro career lasted for nearly fifteen years, spanning four Olympic games and garnering eight Olympic medals.
Gary Lezak describes coming out publicly. [2] He swam for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos swimming and diving team from 1995 to 1998. In short-course competitions, Lezak won five world championships: four relays including the 2002 4x100m freestyle and medley, and 2004 4x100m freestyle, and a gold in the 100-meter freestyle in 2004. Your continued support makes local journalism like this possible. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Gary Lezak - Chief Meteorologist.
There was no gay marriage yet,” Lezak said.