WABC-TV Reporter Lisa Colagrossi Has Died at Age 49

Reporter Lisa Colagrossi, of ABC's New York station WABC-TV, died on Friday, March 20, 2015, from an aneurysm. She was 49.

"Lisa Colagrossi embodied the 'Eyewitness News' spirit - a straightforward reporter who told the truth, empathetic to the everyday citizens of the New York area, and demanding of those in power," Dave Davis, president and g.m. of WABC-TV said in a statement. "All of us in the Channel 7 family are in shock over her sudden death. Our attention is now focused on helping her husband and two children though this difficult time."

On Thursday, March 19, 2015, Colagrossi collapsed as she was returning from an assignment covering a first in Queens. She was transported to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center's ICU and placed on life support.

Lisa Colagrossi was an American journalist and television news anchor and reporter. She was a reporter for WABC-TV In New York City. Colagrossi joined the ABC owned station in September 2001.

Prior to joining the Eyewitness News team, she was an anchor at WKMG-TV in Orlando.

She came to New York from Orlando, Florida. Her career in journalism began in her native Cleveland, Ohio at WKYC-TV, the NBC-TV affiliate there. In addition to working in Ohio, Colagrossi also worked at news stations in Alabama and West Virginia.

Since beginning her run in New York, Colagrossi received several Emmy award nominations. She won two Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards from her anchoring in Florida. Colagrossi was also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Colagrossi resided with her family in Connecticut. Most recently, Colagrossi was among a long list of reporters competing to replace anchor Steve Bartelstein. Fellow reporter Ken Rosato became the new morning co-anchor, as of the summer of 2007. She continued to regularly fill in for Ken Rosato or Lori Stokes, as well as for Rob Nelson and Michelle Charlesworth on the Weekend Morning broadcasts.

In the spring of 2009, Lisa became "business reporter" on the Eyewitness News This Morning and Noon broadcasts; though she still frequently did breaking news reporting.

Image credit: WABC-7

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