Family, friends bid last farewell to Ed Daniels

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Family, friends and supporters came out to show their love for Ed Daniels one last time, admiring all he’s done in his life.

“What a fine man, beautiful gentleman, good family man and good Kenner man. His roots here in Kenner go very very deep, and it’s a tremendous loss to the community,” said Judge Keven Centanni.

“He was an inventor, and he believed in people,” said Daniels’ neighbor Phil Grecko.

WGNO employees share memories of the station’s legendary sports director, Ed Daniels

Grecko says Ed took him under his wing in their younger days, and the friendship blossomed.

“The thing that impressed me the most is he was always thinking about making things better. What he did for prep sports in this city was unbelievable,” said Grecko.

Winning Louisiana Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association in 1997, 2014 and 2018 is big. Roger Dunaway with Tulane University believes that after more than four decades of his life covering sports in the New Orleans area, there will never be another like him.

Ed Daniels’ Mardi Gras float, his friends

“And the different sports in between, he did a phenomenal job in making sure everybody was in the spotlight and had their time, especially if they excelled. He was a pioneer with that, and I think somebody is going to have to step up and those are going to be large shoes to fill,” said Dunaway.

One of those closest to him was his cousin Donna, who says it still feels unreal that he’s gone.

“He and I grew up together. We took vacations together. Since we were babies. He was a year younger than me. I teased him all the time and told him he was my much older brother. We love him and miss him,” said Donna.

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