Ana Orsini, a 28-year-old morning news star at CBS News KOLD 13 in Tucson, died suddenly last week from a brain aneurysm, leaving colleagues and viewers mourning the sudden loss of a rising broadcast journalist.
“Sad news to share with you, our beloved friend and co-anchor Ana Orsini passed away unexpectedly last week,” co-anchor Tyler Butler announced during Monday’s broadcast.
“It’s so horrible, so sudden. Ana was a force of nature. I keep thinking about how at times, I’d make a self-deprecating joke and she’d snap, ‘Hey! Don’t talk about my friend like that!'”
“Ana was not only beautiful, talented and hilarious, but she was unlike anyone I’ve ever met,” morning show co-anchor Carsyn Currier wrote on Instagram. “To know Ana was to LOVE her. She made everyone around her feel so special, heard and understood. Waking up in the middle of the night to go to work is always challenging, but knowing I was going to work with Ana made it that much easier.”
Evening anchor Dan Marries shared her condolences and sadness at her friends passing.
“Ana Orsini, you were one in a trillion; wise beyond your years, full of practical insight, smart, compassionate, quick-witted, and possessed a contagious love for animals. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Orsini family during this incredibly tragic time. As a parent, I can’t even begin to imagine their pain and anguish with the sudden, unexpected, and tragic loss of Ana.”
Known for her empathy and mentorship of younger colleagues, Orsini was a rising star at KOLD after joining in June 2023. She started her career in Lubbock, Texas, and then spent three years anchoring in Medford, Oregon. The Denver native graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018 with degrees in journalism, communication, and sports management.
The station remembered her as someone “with bottomless empathy who always stood up for ‘the little guy'” and as a “peanut-butter-M&M-loving” and “platform-Ugg-wearing” anchor who remained a “ray of sunshine, even at 4:00 in the morning.” She was passionate about animal rescue and true crime podcasts.
Weather forecaster Allie Potter captured his colleagues’ shock and sadness: “Literally no words and only tears. Still at a loss for words.”
Take a look at the station’s moving tribute to their beloved coworker —
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… pic.twitter.com/oau04UsS9h
— Cory Kowitz (@cory_kowitz) December 16, 2024