Former ABC News correspondent Jim Avila has died at the age of 69, his heartbroken colleagues have revealed.
He passed away after a ‘long illness’, anchor Diane Macedo announced Thursday morning. She did not disclose his ailment in the announcement.
He had undergone a kidney transplant in 2020. The organ was donated by his brother.
Avila was a Los Angeles-based senior national correspondent for the network and correspondent on 20/20.
His four-decades-long career saw him cover politics, justice, law and consumer investigations.
He worked in the White House during President Barack Obama‘s second term and won an award for his breaking coverage that the US and Cuba had opened diplomatic relations.
ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic said in a statement, ‘We send our heartfelt condolences to his family, including his three children, Jamie, Jenny, and Evan, and we thank him for his many contributions and unwavering commitment to seeking out the truth.’
ABC News correspondent Jim Avila has died at the age of 69, his heartbroken colleagues have revealed
Avila is pictured alongside his daughter Jenny. He shared the photo on X, writing: ‘My one and only daughter. Jenny. What a sweetheart’
Fans and former colleagues alike have taken to social media to pay tribute to the late journalist.
‘One of the greats in broadcast journalism has passed,’ tweeted KTLA anchor Frank Buckley.
He hailed Avila as ‘one of my close friends with whom I had too many nights out to count’ and ‘someone who cared deeply about journalism, his friends, his family.’
‘I will miss him,’ Buckley added.
ABC Supervising Producer & Reporter John Parkinson shared how Avila ‘demanded the best from his colleagues but always kept it fun.’
‘Our assignments took us to G20 in Antalya, Turkey to Martha’s Vineyard to Waikiki and many places in between. RIP, my friend,’ he wrote.
Avila started his career at San Francisco’s KCBS radio in 1973. He worked at multiple local TV stations including LA’s KNBC, WBBM in Chicago and KPIX in San Francisco.
He also served as a national correspondent at the NBC Nightly News before joining the ABC News team.
Avila left the network in 2021, following his transplant. He started working at ABC’s San Diego affiliate KGTV as a senior investigative reporter in December 2023.
When asked why he rejoined the workforce, Avila told the Times of San Diego that ‘retirement was boring.’
‘I’ve been to every state in the country and every continent except Antarctica. I’ve covered the White House, wars, mass shootings. I still want to make an impact in news and San Diego is a good place to do it,’ he said in the January 2024 interview.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
