A veteran reporter at a Washington, D.C., television station has died of complications from a recent cardiac arrest, the paper said Wednesday.
Derrick Ward, who had worked for NBC4 Washington since 2006, was 62 years old.
“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Derrick Ward, Sr.,” his family said in a statement.
“As an outstanding journalist, Derrick’s storytelling, prolific writing, warmth and humor touched countless lives. Our children and our entire family will miss you dearly.”
The D.C. native began his career as a radio reporter at local stations before transitioning to television — covering stories throughout that included the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and the 2002 D.C. sniper attacks.
As a radio journalist, Ward worked for WPFW, WAMU and WTOP. He made his television debut at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York before returning to DC to join NBC4 Washington in 2006.
Ward was raised in the Marshall Heights area and the H Street Corridor of DC. He lived through the 1968 riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. — later recalling his experience for a 40th anniversary special produced by NBC4 Washington, according to the paper. He graduated from the University of Maryland.
His NBC4 colleagues took to the X to honor the reporter on Wednesday.
“Heartbroken by the loss of a great friend and colleague. @DerrickWard4 was an excellent writer and journalist who loved reporting in his hometown,” NBC4 Washington reporter Mark Segraves wrote in a post.
“Derrick was also an amazing musician,” he added, posting a photo of Ward playing guitar on stage with a band. “RIP bro, we’ll take it from here.”
NBC4 reporters recalled Ward’s friendly demeanor and smile.
“Derrick greeted everyone with a welcoming smile and warm laugh,” Tracee Wilkins, an investigative reporter in the media, wrote in a post. “He was a devoted father, a wonderful colleague, a stellar journalist and a gifted guitarist.”
Paul Wagner, who worked with Ward at WTOP in the late 1990s as well as NBC, said the late reporter always greeted him with a “Hey, Wags!” that “always made me smile”.
“He was always so nice to me and everyone he met,” NBC4 reporter Aimee Cho wrote in a post on X. “I loved shadowing him when I was an intern and learned so much about writing, history and life from him. “
Ward is survived by his three children, Derrick Jr., Ian and Marisa.
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Image Source : nypost.com