Fred Hickman had seen it all. He’d been on the air for four decades, having started off his career by co-anchoring “Sports Tonight” on CNN with Nick Charles back in 1980. From there, he went on to become one of the most well-known sports broadcasters around. After years of hard work and dedication, Fred was finally able to make his mark in the industry when he became the first person ever to appear on air at Yankee Entertainment and Sports Network (YES) in 2002.
For Fred, this was a dream come true—until tragedy struck. One day while out jogging near his home, Fred suffered an unexpected heart attack that left him hospitalized for weeks afterward. It wasn’t long before doctors made their diagnosis: due to complications from the heart attack, Fred would no longer be able to pursue a career in broadcasting or any other job that required physical exertion or being exposed to high levels of stress.
This news came as a shock not only to Fred but also to those who knew and loved him throughout his illustrious career—especially since he had worked so hard over such a long period of time just to achieve what he did within sports broadcasting. But despite feeling helpless about what happened, Fred never gave up hope; instead, he decided it was time for him to move on to something new with whatever resources were available to him at this point in life’s journey.
So after taking some time away from everything else going on around him during the recovery process post-heart attack, Fred got back into gear and began exploring different opportunities that could allow him to use his experience and knowledge acquired over many years of working as a broadcast journalist/anchor within the industry – specifically towards helping young people looking get into the same field but don’t know how to go about doing so or lack understanding necessary skillsets required to succeed therein. With that goal in mind, he eventually founded ‘Fred Hickman Broadcasting School,’ dedicated to providing guidance & assistance to anyone willing to strive to reach the same heights achieved himself along the way.
Throughout rest days, the school flourished under leadership – growing more popular year after year thanks largely to its strong reputation for fostering excellence amongst the student body both professionally and academically while showcasing its possible follow dreams against all odds. Though they may have retired front the lines media industry, mark left behind through the establishment of self-owned endeavor shall surely live forevermore within the hearts and minds of countless individuals in the world we live in today.
Many fans shared tributes to the “true gentleman” of sportscasting.
“So very sad to hear about the passing of Fred Hickman. I was the only female anchor at CNN Sports, and Fred was such a welcoming presence…always with a laugh, a quip, a story…and supremely talented. Rest In Peace, my friend.”
“I loved Fred Hickman. RIP Fred. I had the privilege of working w him & Nick @cnn sports. A huge talent with a huge heart.”