Remembering the late Rich Fisher: family man

(WJBK) - Long-time Detroit news anchor and reporter Rich Fisher died today at the age of 67.

He was a fixture on local television for decades including a seven-year stretch here at WJBK. He won awards and earned your trust at the anchor desk and on the streets. But off camera he was also a family-man, friend and mentor.

"Dad put up a hard fight and he fought to the very end, but he went peacefully," said Bill Fisher, Rich's son.

Rich Fisher, born and raised in Detroit passed Friday morning after a battle with cancer. Rich Fisher worked as a television news anchor for years in his hometown where became an Emmy-award winning journalist and someone who always volunteered in his community.

"He loved being a news anchor in Detroit," Bill said. "He loved the city."

GALLERY: CLICK HERE for Rich Fisher's life in photos

"His father was a policeman and he always had a soft spot for the men and women who put their lives on the line in service," FOX 2's Huel Perkins said.

Rich Fisher worked alongside our lead anchor Huel Perkins. Huel is in Louisiana with family, but took a moment to describe his last conversation with a man he considered his big brother and mentor.

"I spoke with him Saturday," Perkins said. "Even as his body was getting weak, his sense of humor was still there."

Amyre Makupson, also worked alongside Rich Fisher as his co-anchor.

"People watch news because they like you," Makupson said. "And you have to find out what it is about yourself that is attractive to people. He was very nice looking, he was very well dressed, very well spoken, and he came across as decent human being.

"It's like bed side manor with a doctor, it's not medicine, but it's very important."

Mort Meisner hired Rich Fisher here at Fox 2, longtime friends, and little did they know, they always had a connection.

"We didn't know this a few years ago, but Rich and I were sitting around talking, and it turned out, even though we didn't know each other, we grew up five blocks from each other at Fenkell and Meyers in the Detroit area," said Meisner, the former News Director at WJBK.

Rich always came across as charming and very kind.

"He walks in the room and everything lights up and all heads turn, incredibly charismatic," Bill said. "And he lived his life that way, to where every day is going to be the best possible day it could be."

Bill said his final moments with his father were spent at the hospital, kicking back watching movies, and making sure Rich was comfortable.

"My father was a very loving man," Bill said. "And he loved all of us very much."