“I wonder what they’re like in person?” We’ve all heard rumors and stories about what our favorite television personalities are like off-camera. Some can be prima donnas, others are consummate professionals. There are many tried and true, genuine people out there and WFAA’s Troy Dungan is one of them.

As I blogged earlier, I have been amazed at the family-like atmosphere at Channel 8. Troy is certainly the rock upon which those values are built. The chief “weatherman” has been welcomed into DFW’s homes each night for 31 years. Known for his trade mark bow ties and warm smile, it’s not hard to “Trust Troy.”

Troy’s personality and sense of humor are second to none, but it’s his caring attitude that stands out. The few times I’ve spoken with him, he really seemed to sincerely care when asking, “How are you doing today?” He’s from a breed of broadcasters that unfortunately are becoming harder to find. What you see, is what you get.

During his tenure, he started a project called Santa’s Helpers, for which he’s probably best known. The charity project routinely collects over one million dollars in toys each year for needy children. He also started a bible study group at Channel 8 many years ago. It’s his down-to-Earth personality that has made him the one to turn to when your family’s safety is threatened by the weather. Instead of hype and ratings stunts, Troy tells it like it is. He seems to care about the viewer’s precious time and respects that relationship.

Troy’s last newscast was tonight’s 6 p.m. show. He’ll be back though. He said he’s committed to at least 25 days each year to on-air projects, so it’s more of a “so long for now.”

He and his wife plan to spend more time with their family and catch up on a favorite hobby, traveling. From all I’ve heard, Troy is a truly remarkable person and weatherman, so it’s nice to see that TV doesn’t always bring out the worst in people.

Congratulations to Troy on 31 years at WFAA! By the way, he owns over 200 bow ties!

The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the corporation and employees of WFAA-TV, Belo Corp., or Northwestern State University. They are solely the opinion of the author. All content © Copyright 2007 Lane Luckie