ON THE MEND: Victim Marion Hedges at home recently. (David McGlynn)
Years before she pulled herself through a horrific and near-fatal head injury, Marion Hedges showed a national TV audience that she’s all heart.
Rushing down Columbus Avenue one frigid winter’s morning, Hedges was stopped by a cameraman for “Live! with Regis and Kelly” — and she charmed the hosts with quips about Ripa’s voice and her skinny good looks.
“I imagine you’re inside with no stockings on as usual,” said Hedges, who was shivering outside in the 11-degree air that day in January 2005. “I’m not suntanned and skinny and beautiful. I’m freezing.”
Ripa invited her to chat inside the studio, but Hedges insisted her appointment with one of the many charities she raises money for couldn’t wait.
“That story is emblematic of who she is,” Hedges’ husband, Michael, told The Post yesterday. “Marion is all about getting things done. Being in front of the media is not important to her. What’s important to her is focusing on doing good.”
Hedges eventually relented and went in for a chat with Ripa and guest host Jeff Probst.
But before she could get her coat unbuttoned, she was telling the nation about the charity.
“Marion, really, where were you going that was so important that you couldn’t be here with us today?” Ripa asked. “I mean, this is television. Everybody knows that everybody wants to be on television.”
“Well, I’m actually on my way to meet someone about a charity organization that I volunteer for,” Hedges replied.
Ripa gave Hedges her host seat, and the fund-raiser went on to extol the New York Junior League, a group of trained volunteers who work to strengthen the lives of women and children.
Ripa was moved.
“We have to do something for Marion here,” she said.
“You just did,” Hedges replied.