Virginia News Anchor Dies Weeks After Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis

Transcript

00:00We would like to thank all of you for the great love and amazing support that

00:05you have shown Mark and his family and his work family right here at ABC 13.

00:11Right now we are really grieving the loss of a very important person here in

00:17our newsroom and in our lives. News presenters at WSET in Virginia got

00:21emotional in a newscast published on December 20th as they announced that one

00:26of their co-workers passed away. Mark Spain was a news anchor at the ABC

00:30affiliate. He died just three weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

00:35His widow Lenita Spain shared the sad news in a message on her late husband's

00:39Facebook page on December 19th. She wrote in part it is with a heavy heart that I

00:44share the passing of my loving husband Mark. Our family along with the city of

00:48Lynchburg lost a man of hope, someone who loves his city and stood for equality

00:53treating others with respect and kindness. She continued writing it's

00:57surreal that it was exactly three weeks ago yesterday that he was diagnosed with

01:01pancreatic cancer. Our family was there with him from the beginning of the fight

01:05to the finish until his very last breath. He fought hard, he stayed positive

01:09throughout the battle and wasn't afraid. We have comfort in knowing he is no

01:14longer suffering. His co-workers thanked viewers for all the support they showed

01:18the news station and Mark's family. Yeah Lenita echoed what we all knew. He loved

01:24his job and felt so blessed to do this for a living. He did. And she thanked all

01:30of you for your kindness and support that we've seen. It has meant so much to

01:34her and to the family. Before we begin our newscast we do want to share all the

01:40support that you have shown our friend by turning this city and beyond purple

01:44in his honor. Mark, we love you and we miss you. They went on to show more than

01:52six minutes worth of pictures and videos of people and organizations around the

01:56community with the color purple in his honor. Mark was 64.