Roz Varon age is one of the most searched questions about the woman who spent 35 years guiding Chicago commuters every morning on ABC7. Varon became Chicago’s first morning news TV traffic reporter when WLS-TV launched its first morning newscast in 1989, and she stayed on the job until her farewell broadcast on April 5, 2024. Along the way she won multiple Emmy Awards and lived publicly with stage 4 breast cancer. Below is what reliable sources say about her age, her career, her health journey and the parts of her personal life she has chosen to share, as of October 2026.
Roz Varon Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Roz Varon |
| Known for | Longtime traffic anchor and transportation reporter, ABC7 Chicago (WLS-TV) |
| Age | About 68 as of October 2026 (estimate based on published news reports; exact birth date not publicly confirmed) |
| Education | Graduate of Columbia College (per ABC7 Chicago) |
| Career before TV | About nine to ten years in radio traffic reporting |
| Years at ABC7 | 1989 to April 5, 2024 (hired in late 1988) |
| Notable honors | Multiple Emmy Awards, Peter Lisagor Awards, NATAS Midwest Silver Circle (2022) |
| Book | On the Road with Roz: Adventures in Travel and Life |
| Health | Stage 4 breast cancer survivor (diagnosed 2006) |
How Old Is Roz Varon?
Roz Varon is believed to be about 68 years old as of October 2026. Her exact date of birth has not been publicly confirmed by ABC7 or by Varon herself, so no reliable birthday can be given.
The estimate comes from two published reports. A May 2012 community post on Patch described her as 54, and an October 2016 profile in the Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest gave her age as 58. Taken together, those figures point to a birth between late 1957 and mid-1958, which would make her 68, or possibly 69, in October 2026.
Roz Varon’s Career
Radio Roots
Before television, Varon spent close to a decade reporting traffic on radio. ABC7 notes she is a Columbia College graduate.
Chicago’s First Morning TV Traffic Reporter
According to ABC7, she was first told she was “too green for television,” but a new audition tape won her the job. She was hired in late 1988 and joined Alan Krashesky and the late Jerry Taft when the station’s first morning newscast launched in 1989. That made her Chicago’s first morning news TV traffic reporter and one of the first in the country.
Transportation Beat and “Weekender”
Over the years her role grew well beyond rush-hour updates. She covered the CTA, road construction and the Chicago Auto Show, and she created “Weekender,” a weekly roundup of events around metro Chicago that later won a Peter Lisagor Award.
Retirement in 2024
ABC7 announced her retirement on February 21, 2024, and her final day on air was Friday, April 5, 2024, after 35 years at the station. She said she planned to rest and spend more time with loved ones. As of October 2026, we found no reports of a return to daily TV.
Awards and Honors
- Multiple Emmy Awards for traffic reporting, specialty programming, spot news and features
- Several Peter Lisagor Awards, including one for “Weekender”
- Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Award for the breast cancer special “Faces of Inspiration”
- Second-place national media award from the American Traffic Safety Services Association, presented in March 2017
- Induction into the Silver Circle of the Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in May 2022
She also wrote On the Road with Roz: Adventures in Travel and Life, about family trips on Route 66 and abroad. Travel fans can find more destination reading such as our guide to hoptraveler.com luxury travel.
Health Journey and Advocacy
Varon has been very open about her cancer. As she told the Wednesday Journal in 2016, she found a lump under her arm while on vacation in Greece in 2006. Tests showed stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, HER2-positive, that had spread to her lymph nodes and liver. After chemotherapy and a second opinion at Rush University Medical Center, she began Herceptin, and by January 2007 her tumors were gone.
In 2013 a mammogram found calcifications in the same breast, which turned out to be early-stage DCIS. She had a lumpectomy and seven weeks of radiation and went back into remission. In 2016 she said she remained on ongoing treatment and monitoring.
She shared her updates on air with viewers long before social media made that common. She has co-hosted the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Chicago walk every year since 2006, speaks to survivor groups, and urges patients to get second opinions.
Personal Life
Varon keeps most of her family life private, and we respect that. She has spoken publicly about her family mainly in the context of her cancer journey, including the support of her husband and her sister, who is also a breast cancer survivor. She is also known for her involvement in Chicago-area community and charity events.
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Conclusion
Roz Varon is about 68 as of October 2026, based on her ages in published reports, but her exact birth date has never been confirmed. Her 35-year run at ABC7 Chicago made her a pioneer of TV traffic reporting. Her openness about stage 4 breast cancer made her a respected health advocate, and since April 2024 she has stepped back from daily television. ABC7 Chicago’s retirement announcement has the station’s own summary of her career.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Roz Varon’s age?
She is about 68 as of October 2026, estimated from published reports that gave her age as 54 in 2012 and 58 in 2016. Her exact birth date is not publicly confirmed.
When did Roz Varon retire from ABC7 Chicago?
Her last day on air was Friday, April 5, 2024, after 35 years at the station.
Is Roz Varon a cancer survivor?
Yes. She was diagnosed with stage 4 HER2-positive breast cancer in 2006 and treated for early-stage DCIS in 2013. She has spoken about both publicly.
What awards has Roz Varon won?
Multiple Emmys, Peter Lisagor Awards, a Silver Dome Award and a 2022 NATAS Midwest Silver Circle induction.
Sources
ABC7 Chicago, “Roz Varon, Chicago’s first morning news TV traffic reporter, to retire after 35 years at ABC7” (February 21, 2024)
ABC7 Chicago, “Farewell Roz, Chicago’s first morning news TV traffic reporter” (April 5, 2024)
ABC7 Chicago, “ABC7’s Roz Varon inducted into Silver Circle” (May 13, 2022)
ABC7 Chicago, “ABC7’s Roz Varon presented with national traffic reporting award” (March 2017)
Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest, “River Forest’s Varon keeps up fight against cancer” (October 4, 2016)
Patch Oak Park, community post (May 30, 2012)