Bobbie Battista, one of the original anchors of CNN, died Tuesday morning following a four-year battle with cervical cancer, family spokeswoman Wendy Guarisco told Battista's former network.
She was 67-years-old.
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In a March 3 statement, Battista’s husband, John Brimelow sang his wife’s praises.
“Bobbie was the consummate (trouper) in her struggle with cancer, she was courageous and fearless in her battle and thoughtful for all the others in her life even as she fought through the pain," Brimelow said in a statement obtained by CNN. "My dear partner of 25 years of marriage has cut her earthly bonds and is now in peace."
Battista was an anchor on CNN Headline News when the Atlanta-based network launched in 1981. She also anchored the program "TalkBack Live," which was filmed at the CNN Center in front of a live studio audience. Other programs she hosted for the network included “World Day” and “News Hour.”
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The same year she made her debut on the new cable network, Battista, who got her start at WRAL in Raleigh, N.C. in 1976, won a Peabody Award for the documentary “Fed up with Fear.” Among her other honors, Battista was voted Best Newscaster in Cable Guide magazine's annual reader's poll in 1986 and she was nominated for a CableACE award for Best Newscaster in 1995.
Following news of her death, several people including Lisa Mirando, an executive producer at CNN, tweeted their condolences.
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