If you’ve spent any time driving through Chicago over the last three decades, you probably feel like you know Roz Varon. She was the one waking up at 2 a.m. to make sure you didn't get stuck in a three-mile backup on the Kennedy Expressway. But since her retirement from ABC7 in 2024, the questions have shifted from traffic patterns to her personal life. Specifically, people keep asking: is Roz Varon married, and what is she up to now that she’s off the air?
Honestly, Roz has always been an open book, but there's a lot of misinformation floating around the internet. Some low-quality sites have even confused her with other media personalities. Let's set the record straight on her marriage, her " handsome prince," and the family journey that has been both incredibly beautiful and deeply heartbreaking.
The Story of Roz Varon and Glenn Kedzie
Yes, Roz Varon is married. She has been for over 20 years.
She tied the knot with Glenn Kedzie on June 11, 2005. It wasn't just some small courthouse affair; it was a "Made in Chicago" fairy tale. They had a gala reception at the historic Marshall Field’s (now Macy’s) on State Street, specifically in the iconic Walnut Room. Think Eli’s cheesecake, the Allan Kaye Orchestra, and a honeymoon in Hawaii.
Glenn isn't in the TV business. He’s the president of Big Timber Landscape Company. While Roz was navigating the morning news desk, Glenn was building a successful business on the ground.
A Partnership Through the Toughest Times
The strength of their marriage was tested almost immediately. Just one year after their wedding, in 2006, Roz was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer.
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Most people would crumble. But Glenn didn't.
He was there for every single oncologist appointment. He was there when she lost her hair and when they filmed segments at home to show viewers the reality of the fight. Roz has frequently mentioned how he stepped up to help raise her daughter, Sara, as his own. They became a blended family, navigating the "rough patches" that come with merging lives, all while facing a life-threatening illness.
Family Life Beyond the Camera
When you ask about Roz Varon’s marriage, you’re really asking about her family. For years, her world revolved around her daughter, Sara Beth Janz.
Sara was Roz’s only child, born from a previous marriage to Edward Janz. If you watched ABC7, you saw Sara grow up. She appeared on the morning show as a baby and eventually became a regular fixture in Roz’s social media updates and travel stories.
The Recent Tragedy
It is impossible to talk about Roz Varon's family today without acknowledging the immense loss they suffered recently.
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In early January 2025, Sara passed away unexpectedly due to medical complications. She was only 29 years old. She had recently married her husband, Darien "DJ" Jackson, and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This hit the Chicago community hard. Roz, who had spent her career sharing her life's highs and lows with viewers, was suddenly grieving a loss no parent should have to face. Since then, Roz and Glenn have focused their energy on honoring Sara’s legacy. They established the Sara Beth Janz Memorial Scholarship Fund to help students pursuing careers in television, a nod to Sara’s own work with the TV Academy.
Why the Internet is Confused: The "Matt Alvarez" Myth
If you search "is Roz Varon married" on certain parts of the web, you might see a weirdly specific name pop up: Matt Alvarez.
Let's be clear: Roz Varon is NOT married to Matt Alvarez.
There is a lot of "AI-generated" or "scraper" content out there that confuses Roz with other media figures. Some sites claim she’s been married to a businessman named Matt Alvarez since 2004. This is 100% false. It’s a classic example of how the internet can confidently halluncinate facts.
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The real Roz Varon—our Chicago traffic legend—is firmly and happily married to Glenn Kedzie.
Life After Retirement in 2026
Roz officially signed off from ABC7 on April 5, 2024. After 35 years of 2 a.m. alarms, she earned the right to sleep in.
So, what does life look like for her now?
- Advocacy: She remains a massive voice for breast cancer awareness and animal welfare, working with groups like PAWS Chicago and the Anti-Cruelty Society.
- Travel: She literally wrote the book on it (On the Road with Roz). She still loves road trips, though they carry a different weight now.
- Community: She is deeply involved in her synagogue, Oak Park Temple B'nai Abraham Zion.
- Legacy: Most of her public-facing work now involves "Stars for Sara" events and fundraising for the scholarship fund.
Roz Varon’s marriage to Glenn Kedzie has survived the peak of her career, a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, and the devastating loss of a child. It’s a partnership built on more than just red carpet photos; it’s a real-deal, "for better or worse" kind of bond.
If you want to support Roz today, the best way is to look into the Sara Beth Janz Memorial Scholarship. It’s a way to turn a family tragedy into a future for a young creator, which is exactly how Roz and Glenn seem to be navigating this chapter of their lives.
Actionable Insight: When researching public figures, always check their personal blogs or verified social media accounts. In Roz's case, her "On the Road with Roz" blog is the only place to get the true, unfiltered story of her family life directly from her.