R.I.P.: WGFB Rockford Morning Co-Host Jeannie Hayes Was 29

UPDATE 11/13/12:  WREX airs Hayes Tribute




Original Posting....

Even mice could count Jeannie Hayes as their friend, according to a story at the Rockford, Ill Register Star.

The critters that infiltrated the cornfield-surrounded WREX studio were released to outside safety after Hayes caught them in garbage cans, said Rebecca Klopf, a producer and reporter at the TV station where Hayes has worked as a producer, anchor and show host.

Hayes,  a vegetarian, also insisted that whomever was making her sandwich at Subway put on new gloves so her lunch would be free of any meat residue, said Maggie Hradecky, former news director at WREX who hired Hayes in 2005. Hradecky now is manager of the Community Content House for GateHouse Media, which owns the Register Star.

Hayes, 29, died Thursday night. She was hospitalized at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center on Tuesday when doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of leukemia.

Hayes was diagnosed with a bladder infection when she sought medical treatment Monday. She called 911 on Tuesday after her condition had worsened. Doctors diagnosed her with leukemia and performed emergency surgery on Wednesday, as a result of which she fell into a coma.

Hayes has been a producer and anchor of WREX’s weekday noon newscast and host and producer of “13 Cares,” a community talk show that runs Sunday mornings on the station. The past several months, she was the co-host with Sean Henry on the WGFB / B103 morning show.

Hayes grew up in Granger, Ind., near South Bend with her parents and two sisters. Her cellphone ringtone off-and-on: the theme song to the “I Dream of Jeannie” TV show.

A posting on the B103 website said “ Jeannie had two grown sisters and two wonderful parents – we know that she will be missed by all of them. As one of the sweetest, kindest, and most genuine people we will have ever gotten to meet - we know the people of Rockford will miss Jeannie Hayes.”

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