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NBC Anchor, 42, Dies Suddenly During Florida Family Vacation

A news anchor at an NBC affiliate in Illinois died after she fell ill and was hospitalized while vacationing with her husband and their two young sons in Florida.

Lesley Swick Van Ness, who worked as an anchor for WGEM-TV as well as an executive for its corporate parent, Gray Television, was pronounced dead on Monday in Naples, Fla.

“In the eyes of a small community she was a celebrity,” Tom and Neat Brower wrote in response to an online obituary.

“It is with a very heavy heart that we share some devastating news with you,” Jennifer Dale, the vice president of recruiting at Gray Television, said in a statement that was posted on Muddy River News.

“Lesley Van Ness, who we have been so fortunate to have as part of the Gray family, passed away this (Monday) morning.”

Dale continued: “Lesley had been on vacation with her beautiful family in Florida when she fell ill and was hospitalized last Thursday.”

“Lesley and her husband Tom have two precious young boys,” the statement read.

“Please keep all of them in your prayers. We will keep everyone posted on arrangements.”

Van Ness’ colleagues remembered her as a force to be reckoned with.

”She was a powerful personality,” Matt Schmidt, an anchor at WGEM-TV from 2007 until 2014, told the news station.

“She could walk into the newsroom and instantly take over. She just had a commanding presence about her.”

Schmidt added: “Sitting on the news desk was an awesome experience.”

“She wasn’t afraid to do the dirty work and wasn’t afraid to work the extra hour, especially if it was something that was really impacting the community,” said WGEM-TV meteorologist Brian Inman.

Van Ness, a graduate of Illinois State University, began her career as a reporter at WGEM-TV, the NBC local affiliate in Quincy, Ill., in 2003, according to her LinkedIn page.

In 2006, she transitioned to a weekend anchor position. Two years later, she was anchoring the weekday editions of the evening and late-night newscasts.

Van Ness then moved over to the corporate side of the business. In 2016, she was named talent acquisition specialist for Quincy Media.

“Family priorities changed and I jumped at the chance to become Quincy Media’s first corporate recruiter from 2016 to 2021,” Van Ness wrote on her LinkedIn page.

In 2021, Gray Television acquired Quincy Media — giving the newly merged entity a network of local television stations in 113 markets.

Van Ness’ funeral will take place at St. John’s Anglican Parish in Quincy at 10 a.m. Monday.

“When I think of Leslie I bring up memories of a beautiful child swimming in the Hamilton swimming pool,” Tom and Neat Brower wrote in their heartfelt message.

“She did her job with integrity,” they wrote.

“Lesley will always hold a place in our hearts.”

READ 90 COMMENTS
  • Elizabeth Walker says:

    I’ll bet that she was fully vaxxed.

  • JohnnyR says:

    So many of you know the fake vaccine is a drug developed to be use as a military weapon. I watched a woman in the medical and drug field speak on this and show all the evidence she had while working in the drug companies. Slowly the facts that this fake vaccine is just that are being spoken. Any drug or vaccine in development that causes side effects and death are normally halted in test phase and some are never allowed to move on. These drugs they forced on the world were used to kill off populations now, some later and to keep women from reproducing. They would not give this drug to illegals as they are the selected ones to repopulate countries who will be controlled by globalist called NWO.
    Hospitals got paid for treating Covid patients and got about $35, 000 for each one they let die. Doctors got huge bonuses from drug companies for getting he fake vaccine into patients knowing many would suffer or die. Doctors who cared used HCQ and ivermectin on thousands of patients with success. This woman suddenly dying is a sign she took the fake vaccine laced with the drug. Ain’t rocket science anymore is it. Shoot up today die tomorrow.

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