After 7-Month Absence, Mary Lucia Returning To The Current

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A popular radio DJ is returning to Twin Cities airwaves next week after she took a 7-month leave of absence to deal with the stress and legal complications of being stalked for over a year.

Mary Lucia, of The Current, will return on Nov. 9, the station announced on Monday.

"From all of us at The Current and MPR, we missed you and are so happy to have you back," wrote Jim McGuinn, The Current's program director, in a statement.

Last spring, Lucia took time off from her job to deal with the legal and emotional complications stemming from being stalked by Patrick Henry Kelly.

The Eden Prairie man pleaded guilty in August to charges of stalking and terroristic threats.

Kelly admitted to repeatedly leaving letters and flowers at the DJ's Minneapolis home after being served with a restraining order.

While he has yet to be sentenced, Kelly remains jailed. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

In a statement to listeners, Lucia said the stalker turned her world upside down for nearly two years.

"After multiple trial postponements and legal curve balls of which I have no control, I'm a little heartbroken to say this has gotten far more complicated than I could've imagined," Lucia said. "Thus, it is still ongoing. Because of that, I can't really talk about the case."

She said that during her time away from the airwaves, she's worked harder than ever.

Lucia added that she realized being strong means knowing when to ask for help, and that despite feeling powerless over her situation at times, she was able to "find humor in the darkness."

"After much careful thought, even though this whole drama is far from being over, I'm returning to work and genuinely feel excited to reconnect with my buddies at The Current and of course with you my friends, the listeners," Lucia said.

Lucia's on-air schedule will be Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.