An Arizona news anchor fought back tears after the tragic passing of her colleague, Ana Orsini, was announced.
Tyler Butler and Carsyn Currier of CBS affiliate KOLD-TV 13 News told viewers on December 16 that Orsini, 28, died 'unexpectedly' earlier this month after suffering a brain aneurysm.
"Our beloved friend and co-anchor Ana Orsini passed away unexpectedly last week," Butler began.
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Currier appeared emotional and her co-host tried to comfort her as she told viewers: "We are devastated by this loss."
Butler then continued the address as he said: "We had the opportunity to work with her every day. We do want you to know that what you saw with her on-air - the funny, crazy person she was - she was just like that off-camera and more so."
To pay tribute to their colleague, both Butler and Currier wore pink in honor of Orsini.
The news presenter joined the team in June 2023, with the channel playing a video tribute that encompassed some of Orsini’s best bits during her time with 13 News.
In a statement, 13 News said: "Ana’s friends and coworkers remember her as someone with bottomless empathy who always stood up for ‘the little guy'.
"She was a smiling face most especially for all her newest and youngest coworkers, and she is known in all the newsrooms where she worked for taking them under her wing and being a strong mentor for both work and life.
"Rescue animals were her passion, and if she wasn’t celebrating Fur Baby Friday, she’d be trying to find a new home for a cutie in need. If Ana found out you loved true crime, like she did, she would share the calendar she kept to track the releases of all the new episodes of the best podcasts."
The statement added: "Her favorite was True Crime Obsessed, and if you spent longer than five minutes with Ana without hearing her favorite quote from it, ‘Let the women do the work,’ then something was seriously wrong! She was a peanut-butter-M&M-loving, platform-Ugg-wearing, pink-or-purple-Stanley-toting ray of sunshine, even at 4:00 in the morning."
Many tributes have come flooding in, including Cory Kowitz, a meteorologist at KOLD who penned on Twitter: "Last week, we lost a beloved member of our KOLD news team. Ana Orsini was our anchor, a leader of the morning team, and most importantly a great friend to so many at the station. I had the pleasure of working with her during the morning, even though it was for too short of a time.
"Thank you to our talented morning team for putting together this beautiful tribute video.
"Rest in peace Ana."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.
Topics: Film and TV, US News
Callum Jones