Marvin Zindler
Well, this sucks. One of Houston's local TV anchor types, Marvin Zindler, announced that he has pancreatic cancer that has spread to the liver. I'm not usually the type to get all starry-eyed about people on TV (having been one, I can tell you we're not all we're cracked up to be), but I'm really bummed about this.
Marvin is a Texas -- specifically Houston -- institution. If you think the name is somewhat familiar, you might recall the Chicken Ranch in La Grange, Texas. Zindler's reporting was the catalyst that resulted in the brothel's closing in 1973 (and eventually, the (in)famous film, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas).
Aside from the famous "Slime in the ice machine!" catch phrase and weekly "rat and roach" restaurant reports that have sealed his fame in recent years, he is also known for his work standing up for the underprivileged. Among other things, he works with doctors to arrange needed surgeries for folks who cannot afford them. He also coordinates with local agencies and companies to solve problems and resolve issues that would otherwise get buried.
He's already undergoing treatment at a Houston hospital. He's already beaten cancer (prostate) once and survived two open heart surgeries, and I hope and pray he pulls through -- again.