Fundraiser Planned for Flint Radio Personality Battling Cancer

A former Flint radio personality is in hospice care after being diagnosed with stage-four cancer. A fundraising benefit is planned for this Wednesday (3/27).

Jerry O'Donnell has served as the voice of the Great Lakes Loons since the team's inception in 2007. Prior to that, he was an on-air host and Operations Manager for Flint radio station WWCK-FM from 2003 to 2005.

O'Donnell has also been the General Manager of the Loons' broadcast station WLUN-FM in Pinconning, and worked as a news producer and on-air reporter for WNEM, TV-5.

Stage-Four Cancer Diagnosis

O'Donnell was diagnosed with stage-four metastatic thyroid cancer in March 2023. He began a rigorous regimen of chemotherapy treatments with weekly visits to the University of Michigan cancer treatment center in Ann Arbor.

In the year since that initial diagnosis, O'Donnell's cancer has spread rapidly, forcing him to make the difficult decision to end treatment and focus on end-of-life care.

He has since moved to a hospice facility in Auburn.

Benefits for Jerry O'Donnell

As medical expenses pile up, a fundraiser for O'Donnell has been planned for this Wednesday (3/27) at Dow Diamond. Dow Diamond is located at 825 E. Main Street in Midland. The dinner will be held at the diamond's closed concourse area and will feature pasta marinara, pasta alfredo, chicken breasts, a salad bar, and other sides.

Tickets are $25 for adults and donations for children under 12 are appreciated. Tickets may be purchased at the door. The fundraiser is scheduled for 6 until 8 pm.

A GoFundMe page has also been set up in Jerry's honor.

On a Personal Note

I've never had the opportunity to work with Jerry, but I've known him for decades and have always found him to be both a fierce competitor and a genuinely nice individual with a big heart and a tremendous love for his family and many local charities.

I wish him and his family the best as they navigate this incredibly difficult time.

Midland's John Pratt Mosaic House

Just outside of Midland is the childhood home of gifted artist John Pratt. The home is adorned with shimmering bits of broken glass, china, and mirrored tiles that create a window into Pratt's creative soul.

Pratt suffered from mental illness and as part of his recovery, decorated the outside walls of the home with murals that, in the words of this website, "represented his illness, his re-discovered zest for living, and his beliefs about tolerance and unconditional love."

Since his death, the home has been owned and maintained by Creative 360 which offers guided tours of the premises. Our thanks to Ashley Cottrell who provided the pictures below.

Gallery Credit: George McIntyre