New Orleans TV anchor dies in plane crash

New Orleans TV anchor Nancy Parker died in a fatal plane crash along side pilot Franklin Augustus on Friday, according to Mayor of New Orleans. The small aircraft went down in a field near New Orleans Lakefront Airport, CBS affiliate New Orleans WWL-TV reports.

The award-winning anchor was working on a story about a pilot whose work included helping at-risk youth when the fatal crash occurred. Parker spent 25 years as a broadcast journalist at WVUE Fox 8 and earned a reputation as a journalist who covered hard news but with tremendous heart, according to WWL-TV.

Parker was also active in the community as a speaker and active supporter of dozens of non-profits as well as community groups.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell released a statement expressing admiration for Parker’s work as a reporter. “She told it to us straight, but with a combination of professionalism, intelligence, warmth and grace we may never experience again. New Orleans did not just lose a five-time Emmy-winning journalist, or a familiar, comforting face on our TV screens. We lost a loving mother of three, a beautiful human being, and an invaluable member of our community,” Cantrell said.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called the fatal crash a “shocking loss” in a statement on Twitter. “Please join your prayers to mine and Donna’s for Nancy’s husband and three children as they come to terms with this shocking loss,” Edwards wrote.   

WWL-TV reports Parker and her husband, Glynn Boyd, met while covering a political race in Tuskegee, Alabama. Boyd, who now works as a public information officer, also spent many years as a TV reporter. 

“I remember noticing her when I walked in,” Boyd said about meeting Parker for the first time. “I noticed she was really aggressive and asking all of the smart questions.”