New York reporter Lisa Colagrossi dies after suffering brain hemorrhage

NEW YORK -- Lisa Colagrossi, a reporter for sister station WABC-TV, anchor, wife and mother, has died at age 49.

Colagrossi suffered a brain hemorrhage while returning from covering a story in New York Thursday.

Thursday seemed like just another morning, with Colagrossi doing what she did so well, reporting live from the scene. She was an amazing reporter, committed to Eyewitness News. She was dedicated to telling a story with honesty, a working woman, a hockey mom, she was gutsy and fearless.

She covered some of the biggest stories in the Tri-State for almost 14 years. She started working at WABC-TV on Sept. 16, 2001, five days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

In a town that's pretty tough to crack, Colagrossi, a native Clevelander, out hustled other New York reporters from the very beginning, by becoming the only reporter to get to Belle Harbor, Queens when Flight 587 crashed after takeoff from JFK Airport.

Like every other seasoned reporter and anchor, she had a couple stops before she became part of the Eyewitness News family, including stations in Orlando and Cleveland.

It was on "Eyewitness News This Morning" that Colagrossi became part of WABC-TV's morning routine. She always had the viewer in mind; whether it was rain, snow, whatever the elements, she was out there.

She could walk you through any story, even the hardest ones including the Sandy Hook tragedy. Her talents were not just limited to reporting, she was an excellent anchor as well.

She shined showing her Italian pride as she mingled with the crowd during the Columbus Day Parade.

It's hard to imagine mornings without Lisa, WABC-TV said.

Colagrossi leaves behind her husband Todd and their two sons, Davis and Evan.