What happened to Dave Frankel? Longtime 6ABC weatherman Dave Frankel dead at 67
Beloved longtime meteorologist Dave Frankel has died. He was 67 years old.
Frankel’s Philadelphia region weather forecasts were a key part of newscasts on 6ABC.
Here’s what we know about Frankel’s passing.
Dave Frankel passed on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Frankel’s former station confirmed that Frankel died from a form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia.
“Primary progressive aphasia is a rare nervous system condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “People who have primary progressive aphasia can have trouble expressing their thoughts and understanding or finding words.
“People with primary progressive aphasia can lose the ability to speak and write,” the Mayo Clinic’s description continued. “Eventually they’re not able to understand written or spoken language.”
According to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia website, Dave Frankel grew up in Monmouth County, NJ, and made early career stops at WCAX-TX in Burlington, Vermont, and then at WCIX-TV and WSVN-TV in Miami.
“When WPVI-TV in Philly was looking for an investigative reporter, it reached out to its sister station in Miami to ask who the best reporter was at a competitive station,” read Frankel’s entry on the Pioneers of Philadelphia Broadcasting’s site. “The answer was Dave Frankel. So, in 1984, Dave joined WPVI-TV Channel 6 where he began the next leg of his TV career, and moved back up north and to the town that would become his home, where he would marry and raise his family.”
According to 6ABC, Frankel moved from investigative journalism to his post as weather forecaster in 1989.
“For the next eight years he shared his smarts, his sense of humor and his warm personality with all of you,” read 6ABC’s comments on Frankel’s passing. “In 1996, Dave also became our first tech reporter, which back then meant explaining new and complex concepts like email.
“After leaving television, Dave launched a second career in law, focusing on children with special needs and their families.”
Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.
What happened to Dave Frankel?
Dave Frankel grew up in New Jersey, had stops in Miami, Vermont before heading to Philadelphia
Fmr. Action News weathercaster and reporter Dave Frankel dies at 67
Dave Frankel, one of the most recognizable members of the Action News family from the mid-80s to the late-90s, has passed away.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Dave Frankel, one of the most recognizable members of the Action News family from the mid-80s to the late-90s, has died. He was 67 years old.
He started here as an investigative reporter and told great stories with a unique style and creativity.
In 1989, fate moved Dave from the investigative unit to the AccuWeather map.
For the next eight years he shared his smarts, his sense of humor and his warm personality with all of you.
In 1996, Dave also became our first tech reporter, which back then meant explaining new and complex concepts like email.
After leaving television, Dave launched a second career in law, focusing on children with special needs and their families.
Dave died Wednesday morning after a long battle with a form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia.
His wife Marjie, and children Bailey, Scott and Charlie are also dear friends to so many people here, and we send them our love and condolences.
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Beloved TV weatherman and newscaster from N.J. dead at 67
Dave Frankel, longtime Action News weatherman, has died. WPVI-TV
Dave Frankel, a revered TV weatherman with the Philadelphia-based WPVI channel 6 Action News team, died on Wednesday after a long battle with neurodegenerative disease. He was 67 years old.
His wife Marjie posted the news on his personal Facebook account. Earlier this month, Marjie noted that Dave had been diagnosed years earlier with primary progressive aphasia, a form of dementia.
“I’ve been one of the luckiest people on the planet as his best friend and wife,” wrote Marjie. “I know he would want me to continue living, which miraculously I am able to do with the support of the most loving and dedicated team of caregivers.”
Frankel grew up in Monmouth County and began his journalism career in 1984 as an investigative reporter at WPVI-TV. He then transitioned to the AccuWeather team in 1989, where he would remain for six years. In 1996, Frankel became the station’s first ever technology reporter. Frankel would then pursue a career in law after leaving broadcast television.
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Murjani Rawls may be reached at mrawls@njadvancemedia.com
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