'Big John' Gillis passes away

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - WIBC's 'Big John' Gillis passed away Friday. Gillis had been dealing with breathing problems in recent weeks. His body shut down Friday night around 8:30. He died at his home.

Big John Gillis was a comforting voice Indianapolis commuters heard as they fought their way through traffic. He was seen as an Indianapolis broadcasting icon, although he didn't see himself that way.

“Many people think of me as an icon. I say it's four letters and one city and that's WIBC and Indianapolis,” says Big John Gillis after he retired from WIBC.

Big John worked for decades at WIBC as a traffic reporter. He suddenly passed away Friday night at the age of 65. His former co-workers, friends and family will miss him dearly, but close friend Rick Posson says, the community is feeling the loss.

“John is just a guy that's going to be so missed by so many people. He was a guy that loved life every day, he didn't have an enemy everyone was his friend,” explains Rick Posson a dear friend of Gillis.

Big John has been a voice on the radio since 1968. While his career has taken him to other parts of the country he made a huge impact when he became the traffic reporter for WIBC. That's when he updated commuters from his "whirly bird in the sky"

Big John stepped away from the mic in 2007 when he retired. Since then friends say, he's enjoyed time off traveling in his motor home.

He only started having health issues in the last month, which makes his passing so hard.

“It's tough right now, certainly, its still a very shocking thing he just he was at home his body just shut down after some health issues with breathing,” says Posson.

While friends and family say goodbye to their loved one, his voice will live on.

“He never had the face for television he always said but his voice was well heard through central Indiana,” remembers Posson.

Emmis President and C.E.O. Jeff Smulyan issued a statement saying, "WIBC and the entire Emmis family are saddened by the passing of Big John Gillis. John was an icon in Central Indiana whose captivating personality touched generations of listeners in our community."

"John will be missed by all if us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Sherry and his entire family."