CBS has announced the death of WCBS New York's long-time meteorologist Elise Finch at the age of 51.
In a statement released Monday (July 17), the network remembered her as "a friend and team member at WCBS for 16 years." CBS added the presenter died suddenly at a local hospital Sunday (June 16), but the cause of her death was not determined.
"Elise was a gifted and consummate professional who took great care with her work," the network said. "She was also a wonderful ambassador in the community, including her hometown of Mount Vernon."
Finch was survived by her husband, WCBS photojournalist Graig Henriques, and their daughter Grace.
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Remembering Elise Finch
In a newscast Sunday evening, Finch's colleague Jessica Moore became visibly emotional as she remembered her friend. "There was no one like her," she said. "We're all gonna miss her very much."
Finch, a multi-awarded presenter, including an Emmy award for her meteorology and entertainment reporting, had been a fixture of the channel's morning newscast alongside Cindy Hsu, who was also visibly distraught during an on-air tribute by WCBS Monday.
She started out as a weekend meteorologist for WCBS in 2007 and later transitioned to weekday programming in recent years, the New York Post reported.
Other colleagues remembered her as a lover of music, such as WCBS reporter Tony Aiello. "The song of her life deserved many more verses. Her gifts were many, and so too the lives she touched," he tweeted.
New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams also expressed condolences over the network's loss, saying Finch "graced thousands of households with her genius."
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