Scott Hetsko home after heart transplant

WROC-TV weatherman Scott Hetsko is home recovering with his family after receiving a heart transplant this past month, the local station reported Sunday night.

Hetsko had been teasing the news on his Facebook page in recent days, posting last week: "My personal life forecast the next 7 days looks as bright as ‪#‎roc‬ recent weather. Good news to share soon." And WROC promoted the 11-o'-clock newscast and a report on Hetsko throughout the afternoon.

The station's chief meteorologist has been off the air since June, when he announced he would be taking an extended leave to deal with an increasingly serious heart ailment.

"The heart condition that you probably know I've had over the last six years has gotten quite worse in the last year or so," he said in a video message at the time. "Unfortunately things have gotten to a point where we need to take more dramatic measures to keep me going down the road. ... I'm an optimistic man, so I know I'm going to be OK on the other side of this."

During the late Sunday newscast, anchor Maureen McGuire delivered the news, first explaining: "Simply put, his heart was failing."

"There is still a lot of work ahead with his treatment and recovery," she said, but explained that he is now home with his wife and three children.

Check back at DemocratandChronicle.com later in the day Monday for more details.

BDSharp@gannett.com