For the first time this week, when severe weather rolled through the St. Louis metropolitan area, neither Cindy Preszler nor Mike Roberts had a newsroom to check in with or viewers to inform about breaking weather alerts.
“Sitting home and watching it on TV was tough,” Preszler told St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh. “I wanted to be there.”
Weather is still top-of-mind for both meteorologists, who are also personal friends.
"When you do this for a living, you commit to always knowing what's going on in the atmosphere,” Roberts said.
Earlier this month, KSDK meteorologists Cindy Preszler and Mike Roberts announced they had accepted a buyout from KSDK’s parent company, Tegna Media. Their last day at the station was April 22. The two had worked at the station more than 15 years — Roberts, since 1996, and Preszler, since 1997.
On Friday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh looked back on their time at KSDK and discussed their hopes for the future. Listeners shared many thoughts and well-wishes for both Preszler and Roberts.
The two were not able to speak about specifics regarding the end of their tenure at KSDK, but shared plenty of anecdotes from classroom visits, weather forecasting while milking a cow, personal stories with their families and colleagues and how interacting with viewers has changed their lives.
Both Preszler and Roberts are considering future opportunities but hope to stay in St. Louis pending available employment. Roberts will continue teaching at Saint Louis University into the foreseeable future, but said he is considering other plans beside that.
Please find below a few of the well-wishes that St. Louis on the Air listeners sent to Roberts and Prezsler during the course of the show:
Mike called: “My wife and I have been watching Cindy and Mike for quite a few years. We’re both impressed not only by your professionalism and knowledge but you come across as truly genuine people. In an era where people are looking at appearance and the reality behind it, it is really terrific to have a couple of pros like you doing what you’re doing. We’ll miss you terribly.”
Arindam tweeted: "Thanks for your years of service & participating today. Good luck on any & all future endeavors."
Sarah emailed: “I remember when Cindy was pretty new to town and KSDK sent her to a county fair to deliver the weather. Since she was a "farm girl," someone had a bright idea to have her milk a cow. Well, the cow kicked her while on the air. I thought Karen Foss was going to have a heart attack right then and there. Cindy took it in stride and was fine. She has a great sense of humor and is able to roll with the punches. We will miss her terribly, but know that she will be fine! Look forward to seeing them both in the future.”
Randy tweeted: "We do need Cindy and Mike!!!! We'll miss you!!!"
Mark emailed: “Mike and Cindy. You will break my wife and daughter's heart. When they are in the house I am instructed to turn to Channel 5. ‘We want to hear mike Roberts.’ They have always enjoyed the exuberance of your weather descriptions like you really enjoyed yourself...I will always remember gustnado.”
Kate tweeted: "I didn't know they were leaving until now! :,( What a loss for viewers of KDSK. You'll be missed!"
Juli emailed: “Oh my, oh my…I just started choking up all over again. I will miss you both so much. It was a super interview with Don. But onward and upward to even better things! I am so glad you are free of all the garbage and nonsense!”
Memphis tweeted: "Very unhappy about this situation but it sounds like u will both be fine."
Tom called: “Thank you Mike and Cindy for your service to our community here. I’m a member of the Sierra Club and I’ve appreciated that neither of you have been afraid or shy to talk about climate change and global warming when it in fact had some connection to meteorological events in the present.”
Mort called: “Mike and Cindy, we’re really going to miss you. You have become part of my family. Some of my friends think I’m nuts but I had to tune into Channel 5 every night at 5 and again at 6 to get your weather reports and your upbeat, fun personalities. Cindy, I remember the night you got engaged. You left the station to get dinner and you came back and Karen said you had a surprise and you were engaged … I’ve been a fan for years. I’m going to miss you.”
Erin, Mike’s daughter called: “I wanted to say hi to dad and congratulate him on his amazing body of work. I really wanted to say thank you to Cindy Preszler. She and so many people at Channel 5 have been a big support to our family throughout the years. As someone who is in the beginning of her career, I know how important it is to go to a workplace and find comfort and joy and passion and the coworkers are a big part of that. Thank you to everyone at Channel 5 and especially Cindy Preszler for her support over the years.”
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer and Kelly Moffitt give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.