CNN’s Don Lemon breaks down live on air while revealing beloved co-worker Drew Griffin’s death from cancer
DON Lemon broke down live on air while revealing the death of beloved CNN investigative reporter, Drew Griffin’s death from cancer.
The star anchor was overcome with emotion on Monday, sharing the news on CNN This Morning.
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Griffin had worked with the network’s investigative unit for nearly twenty years before his death on Saturday following a long battle with cancer.
He received several honors during his time at CNN, winning an Emmy and Peabody award for his work.
CNN CEO Chris Licht said in a statement: “Drew’s death is a devastating loss to CNN and our entire profession,”
Licht described Griffin as “A highly acclaimed investigative journalist, Drew’s work had incredible impact and embodied the mission of this organization in every way.”
Lemon broke the news to audiences this morning.
“Our colleague and friend and longtime distinguished CNN journalist Drew Griffin has passed away. Drew was with the investigative unit of CNN based in Atlanta since 2004.”
He listed Griffin’s many of accomplishments before sharing that the show would honor him later in the hour and that is when Lemon had to take a second to compose himself.
“I’m sorry,” Lemon said to his co-host, Kaitlan Collins, who consoled him.
“I know this is tough for you. You said he was one of the first people you met at CNN,”
Lemon apologized again and took off his glasses to wipe his tears away.
“Drew was such a gifted storyteller,” said Collins before the show went to a commercial break.
GONE TOO SOON
Griffin earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and worked as an investigative reporter for CBS 2 News in Los Angeles for 10 years before joining CNN.
According to his bio: “Griffin’s work as an investigative reporter has taken him across the world enabling him to cover a famine in Somalia, illegal drift net fishermen in Singapore and Los Angeles gang members in El Salvador.
“He has interviewed U.S. and Russian presidents. Griffin reported from New York City for CBS 2 News after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and from Israel to cover the war on terrorism.”
In a note shared to CNN’s investigative team on Sunday, Michael Bass, CNN’s Executive Vice President of Programming, wrote:
“Fearless and artful at the same time, he knew how to push a story forward to its limits, but also tell it in a way that would make everyone understand.
“How many times has he chased an unwilling interviewee? How many times has he spoken truth to power? How many times has he made a difference on something important …
“It was an honor to be his colleague and to be witness to his work and the ways it changed the world.”
The award-winning journalist’s expertise included politics, sports, corporate, and government investigations. Throughout his career was honored with some of journalism’s most prestigious awards including Emmys, Peabodys, and Murrows.
Griffin is survived by his wife, Margot, his three children, daughter, Ele Gast, and sons, Louis and Miles Griffin, as well as two grandchildren.
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