JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The longest-serving member of the Channel 4 family is sharing his story of coming back from death's door.
In early September, George Winterling collapsed at his home. When rescue personnel arrived, his heart had stopped.
George underwent heart surgery and spent much of the next several weeks in the hospital and in rehabilitation.
George, who was chief meteorologist at WJXT for more than four decades, stepped back from daily forecasting duties two years ago, but has remained active as Channel 4's hurricane expert. He joined the station's coverage of Hurricane Irene just days before his health scare. The station knew its hurricane expert was getting back to normal when he resumed posting to his Eye on the Storm blog last month.
With a clean bill of health from his doctors, George is walking on his own, alert and has his sense of humor. Channel 4's Mary Baer visited with him and his wife, Virginia, to hear first-hand about the medical miracle that returned George to a full life as a grandfather, husband and gardener.
Watch Mary's story of George's return from the brink of death at 6:45 a.m. Thursday on The Morning Show. George will also be back in the studio for a live segment Monday.