One of Cleveland's most beloved television figures has fallen on hard times, according to a new GoFundMe campaign.
Fred Griffith, host of "The Morning Exchange" for 27 years on WEWS Channel 5 and co-host of "Good Company" on WKYC Channel 3 for 12 years, is the subject of a charity campaign organized by Nancy Heller, a Cleveland lawyer and longtime friend of Fred and his wife, Linda.
Griffith is currently in Montefiore nursing home in Beachwood, following a January fall in which he fractured his pelvis while walking his dogs near his Shaker Heights apartment. "At age 88, he is not able to return to his apartment and may never be able to live independently again," says Heller in the campaign.
Heller hopes to raise $100,000 to help pay for medical expenses and assisted living costs for Griffith, 88, and Linda, who is in her seventies. As of Wednesday afternoon, $1,446 had been raised in the campaign that started Tuesday.
"The purpose of this campaign is to raise enough money to cover their medical and other expenses..." says the GoFundMe page,
gofundme.com/griffithfund. "The need is urgent, as assisted living is very expensive and not covered by any insurance."
