Remembering Victor Vrabel; part-time host leaves for family time

Late last week in the midst of “Draft 1” of my Christmas Eve bulletins, I learned via Aviva Radbord and Suzi Neft that a well-loved KDKA-TV studio floor manager had died. Victor Vrabel was his name and Radbord said she remembered working with him during her entire 43 1/2 years at the station. That means he worked with all of the big names, from Bill Burns to Ken Rice. No doubt many of us witnessed a KD newscast under his direction.

In addition to his television work, Mr. Vrabel wrote a book, A Television Man’s Song: Act 1 – Stand by!, worked as an actor, and as the doorman at Squirrel Hill’s Manor Theater.

Celina Pompeani Mathison has departed Gateway Center. The Pittsburgh Today Live team member and occasional fill-in host is taking time to be with family. The younger daughter of KDKA sports anchor Bob Pompeani, she started as morning traffic reporter. While doing so she also had a publicity position with the Pittsburgh Penguins which she left once she started her family. The PTL crew had a goodbye party for her last Friday.