Community rallies to help daughter of retired WBAY anchor Kevin Rompa as she recovers from illness
Now it's Green Bay's time to help him.
Friends, family and members of the community are rallying to support the retired WBAY anchor's 38-year-old daughter, Vanessa Rompa, as she recovers from a serious illness that left her hospitalized for seven weeks.
Vanessa was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis after being found unconscious in her apartment on April 9. An ear infection developed into the rare and life-threatening condition that causes inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.
In an interview with WBAY, Rompa recalled the doctors saying how 'very, very, very sick' his daughter was when she was rushed to the hospital. She spent two weeks on life support in the intensive care unit and has had to learn to walk and talk again. Her recovery from the brain injury continues with therapy as she works toward getting her independence back.
It has been a long and harrowing journey of ups and downs for the Rompa family.
"To go to the hospital every day, morning and night, for seven weeks, it felt like seven years," Rompa told WBAY. "To watch your youngest child struggle to regain what she once had, and she's still on that journey, but she's made great strides in recent weeks."
A fundraiser from 1 to 5 p.m. June 29 at Stadium View Sports Bar & Event Halls in Ashwaubenon will help with the costs of her lengthy hospital stay and being unable to work. Rompa's former colleague at WBAY, recently retired evening news anchor Bill Jartz, and 95.9 KISS-FM morning show co-host Otis Day will be the hosts of Rally for Vanessa, which includes silent and oral auctions, raffles, music, games, balloon animals and appetizers.
Among the items Jartz will auction off live are a signed Green Bay Packers print, a recliner, a smokeless outdoor firepit and a camping package with a Blackstone grill. Businesses or individuals wishing to donate items for the silent auction, including gift certificates, sports tickets and themed baskets, can drop them off until 1 p.m. June 27 at Margrarita's in Ashwaubenon, where Vanessa has been a longtime employee.
"Vanessa has been behind Magarita's bar for over 19 years, and if you have ever pulled up a stool, chances are you have been greeted by her big grin and larger-than-life personality," Margarita's wrote in a June 22 Facebook post.
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The Mexican restaurant at 1241 Lombardi Access Road will also host a benefit called Vanessa's Happy Hour from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 14. All money spent on alcohol that day will support Vanessa.
A GoFundMe established in mid-April by Vanessa's best friend, Katie Blackford, has raised $22,894 of its $80,000 goal as of June 23.
Kevin, who retired from WBAY in 2021 after 32 years as the station's original morning anchor, said his family is grateful for the outpouring.
'This whole thing is so humbling, right, and you think your life is just going fine and then this happens and then these people just pick you up, you know?' an emotional Rompa told WBAY. 'It's just ... you can't say enough.'
Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com. Follow her on X @KendraMeinert.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Rally for Vanessa to benefit former WBAY anchor Kevin Rompa's daughter
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