Arizona news anchor emotionally announces sudden death of ‘beloved’ 28-year-old colleague live on-air

Arizona local news anchor Ana Orsini “unexpectedly” died last week after suffering a brain aneurysm, her devastated colleagues announced during a live broadcast.

On Monday (December 16), anchors Tyler Butler and Carsyn Currier of Tucson-based CBS affiliate KOLD-TV 13 News shared news of their co-worker’s passing. “Our beloved friend and co-anchor Ana Orsini passed away unexpectedly last week,” Butler began the segment.

Currier’s voice broke when she told viewers that “we are devastated by this loss,” as Butler attempted to comfort Currier.

“We had the opportunity to work with her everyday. 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 moreso,” he continued.

The co-anchors explained that they had worn pink colors for the broadcast in honor of their colleague.

Currier then introduced a video tribute, which compiled some of Orsini’s most memorable moments with 13 News since she joined the team in June 2023.

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According to a statement shared by the Arizona TV station, Orsini was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, and graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018. She began her career that year in Lubbock, Texas, where she worked as an anchor and reporter. Orsini later worked as a morning and midday anchor in Medford, Oregon, for three years before relocating to southern Arizona.

“Ana’s friends and coworkers remember her as someone with bottomless empathy who always stood up for ‘the little guy,’” 13 News said. “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,” her co-workers continued.

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“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.”

Orsini’s family also shared a statement, in which they hoped for the news anchor to be “remembered for the bright, sunny person she was” and encouraged viewers to donate to their local animal shelter in her memory.

Meanwhile, Currier posted her own tribute for her colleague and “best friend” to Facebook on December 16. The news anchor included several photos with Orsini, alongside a heartfelt tribute.

“While there isn’t enough time for me to truly describe the incredible person Ana Orsini was, there are a few things I’d like to say in remembrance of one of my best friends,” Currier wrote. “Ana was not only beautiful, talented, and hilarious, but she was unlike anyone I’ve ever met. 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. Whether she was dancing around the set or making us all laugh, everyday with Ana was an adventure. Ana’s family was everything to her. She was a proud daughter, sister, and the best dog mom to her baby boy, Harley. She was an advocate for animals, women’s rights, and one heck of a friend.

“Time may pass, but my memories of Ana will never fade. I love you forever, Ana. You’ll always be the Bratz Doll to my Barbie Doll. Rest in Peace, sister. I promise to keep living fully for YOU,” Currier concluded.