The cause of Ernie Anastos’ death has been revealed.
The legendary New York City news anchor died Thursday morning of pneumonia at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York, his wife Kelly Anastos confirmed to CBS News.
He was 82 years old.
Ernie’s broadcast career spanned more than 40 years, during which time he covered major news topics such as the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy Jr., the September 11 terrorist attacks, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has earned more than 30 Emmy Awards and nominations, including the prestigious Lifetime Emmy Award. He also received the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Broadcasting.
Ernie joined ABC 7 in 1978 and left in 1989. He then joined CBS 2, moved to WWOR in 1997, and returned to CBS in 2001.
In 2005, I started working at Fox 5 NY with Rosanna Scott. He left Fox 5 around 2020 and enrolled in a leadership management class at Harvard Business School.
Scott, 67, responded to Arnie’s death in an exclusive statement to Page Six.
“He was a great newsman, caring and fair,” Scott said of his former co-anchor.
She also said she learned a lot from Ernie, including how to “keep calm under pressure” and the importance of contributing to the community.
“I loved working with him,” Scott said. “We are all saddened to hear of his passing.”
Teresa Priolo, another former Fox 5 colleague, paid tribute to Arnie in a Facebook post.
“I came here to confirm, all the good things you hear and read about this man are true,” Priolo wrote. “And then a little bit. 10x.”
She also called Ernie “the heart of the newsroom” and acknowledged that he was “infinitely proud of his children and grandchildren.”
Ernie married Kelly in November 1968. The couple had two children: son Philip and daughter Nina. He is also survived by four grandchildren.
