Farewell Dear Friend

Our dear friend Leroy passed away Friday night, the end of a long fight against cancer. It is heartbreaking of course to lose someone close to us, perhaps in this case even more dismaying that a person who fought so valiantly for such a long time couldn’t in the end best this challenge. When I think about Leroy I imagine this is the only thing he couldn’t do.

Leroy was in all ways a fantastic person. I worked along side him for almost 15 years at Nightline and all through that time he was a thoughtful friend, a helpful colleague and a fearless leader. As a producer he was peerless. The stories Leroy covered and the pieces he crafted out of the war-torn ravages of the world were the finest in television journalism. He put himself at risk many times to present our audience the dark-side of humanity because he knew in his core it was important to bring people the truth no matter how ugly and unpalatable it might be. Every armed conflict in the last 25 years he covered, in fact I think most of them didn’t begin until Leroy was on the ground with a crew. The first thing the Marines encountered when they landed on the beaches of Somalia in 1993 was Leroy standing there waiting for them.

Ten years later and Leroy was our executive producer, this time sending me off to the battlefield. When he came and told me on that Thursday that I would be leaving for Iraq on Saturday, I was understandably anxious. “George, you’re ready for this,” he said. “This will be great for you.” From anybody else that would have been a sales pitch. From Leroy I knew he meant it and had faith in my abilities to do the work and come home in one piece too. Leroy instilled confidence in people, lifted them and stood by them through every uncomfortable moment. He took several unexpected phone calls from my mother while I was away and told me later he didn’t mind a bit.

Leroy was an exceptional boss who challenged the young people working with him to do better all the time and he encouraged our ideas. He loved what he did and he valued the people he worked with above all else, save vacations with Laurie in Hawaii and a pair of cold Mai Tais.
Travel well and relax old friend – and may you find that in Heaven all the drinks have little umbrellas in them.

Click here to find Leroy's NPR blog where he shared his experience and insights throughout his illness with thousands who tuned in daily. It is a powerful testament to his courage and strength.