Gary Waddell, a longtime Las Vegas broadcasting anchor, died on September 2 after suffering complications with the COVID-19 virus.

It was reported by Fox 5 that the "KLAS Ch. 8" anchor's death was announced by his ex-wife Chrisse Waddell. They also mentioned that Gary was fully vaccinated against the virus but was still affected by the infection.

According to a press release, they also said that he suffered "a number of significant comorbidities" with the virus.

The anchor's former partner left a statement that said, "Despite the fact that we legally divorced, we remained family through all these years."

"My family was his family. We are all feeling the loss, as are Gary's many friends and the people who admired his work for decades," she also mentioned.

Waddell passed away at the age of 77 at St. Rose Dominican Hospital's Siena Campus. His funeral services were still pending as of Friday afternoon.

Gary In The Broadcasting Industry

In three decades, Gary Waddell was known to be a fixture on Las Vegas television. From 1980 to 2012, he was the main anchor on "KLAS-TV, Channel 8's" evening newscasts.

Before his appearance on "KLAS," he spent four years becoming an anchor, reporter, and weatherman at "KORK" in 1971, which later on became "KSNV Ch. 3." Waddell later retired from his work by August of the same year he finished his job for "KLAS-TV."

Tom Vannozzi, known for being Waddell's friend, said, "he was the longest-serving newscaster in Las Vegas history."

"For several years, he led the news team that drew more ratings, more viewers, than the other Southern Nevada TV stations combined," according to a news release from Fierro Communications via this article.

Gary Waddell's Last Few Moments Before Death

Vannozzi also revealed that Waddell was fully vaccinated for COVID-19. However, he contracted a breakthrough case of the virus while he was in California.

By Monday, he returned to Las Vegas. "He called me and it was mid-afternoon or early evening and asked me to pick up food for him," he said.

Waddell called Vannozzi again and told him that he fainted. They called an ambulance to transport him to the hospital, where he was treated with Remdesivir. The friend claimed that he was doing well the following days.

"He had been doing fine and the nurse said he was doing fine," he said. Sadly, Waddell suffered a massive heart attack just before midnight Thursday. "He did everything right but it was just he's one of those people who had the complications that made COVID that much more serious."

As the social platforms found out the news, friends and colleagues shared their tributes to one who passed away.


May his soul rest in peace.