Atlanta news anchor Amanda Davis, who died of a sudden stroke last week at the age of 62, was honored by African-American female colleagues across the country, who wore red in her honor and to promote stroke awareness.
The women posted tweets of themselves in the anchor chair wearing red under the hashtag #RedforAmanda.
Signs of a possible stroke include slurred speech, arm weakness and a partially drooping face, according to the American Heart Association.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is cut off. The longer the delay in treatment, the likelier the person will die.
African-American women are more likely to have a stroke than women in any other racial group and twice as likely as white women to have a stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Black women are also more prone to severe strokes at younger ages.
The CDC said black women, compared to women in other racial groups, on average have higher blood pressure, consume more salt, suffer from Sickle-cell anemia and have greater rates of obesity and diabetes.
Davis was a longtime Atlanta news anchor, who waged a public battle with alcoholism, before retiring from Atlanta's Fox affiliate, then returning to an on-air role at the CBS affiliate.
Davis’ funeral is at Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at 11 a.m. It’s open to the public, but the family has requested no video or photos.
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