XENIA, Ohio — There’s a plan to honor WHIO legend Gil Whitney.
That plan will become a reality if the U.S. Senate approves it.
The U.S. House approved renaming the Xenia Post Office after Whitney.
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News Center 7’s Xavier Hershovitz talked with Gil’s family about this major honor.
“We’re just very, very proud, and we’re glad that we can be here to represent,” said Jennifer Whitney.
Jeniffer and John Whitney, two of legendary WHIO Weatherman Gil Whitney’s kids, were outside the Xenia Post Office on Wednesday.
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The push to rename the post office after their father passed the U.S. House last month with bipartisan support.
“We think it’s fantastic,” said John Whitney. “I think our father would be very proud because what happened here, you know, at ’74 was huge.
Gil Whitney broke into programming on April 3, 1974, to warn people of a devastating F5 tornado.
It ripped through Xenia, killing 30 people, but many credit the WHIO Weatherman with preventing even more deaths.
“It touched so many people’s lives in this community, and you know, the people who died that day, as well as those who survived,” Jennifer Whitney said.
The name change isn’t official yet. It still has to pass the Senate and be signed into law by the president.
“We’re hoping to do it this year,” said Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton). “The real big issue is: will this year’s legislative work get done?”
It’s something Congressman Mike Turner has been pushing for.
If it doesn’t pass the Senate before the end of this Congress, lawmakers will have to start over next year.
“We will get this done,” Turner said. “This will have Gil Whitney’s name on it.
For John and Jennifer, they’re just glad to know their father’s memory is still alive for so many in the Miami Valley.
“Hoping as the building sticks around, his name is going to be around forever,” John Whitney said.
Hoping this building can be a visual representation of Gil’s legacy.
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