Maria Mercader, a veteran reporter for CBS News, who battled many health issues in the past, has died due to the coronavirus. She was 54 years old.
Mercader worked as part of CBS News’ breaking news division since joining the network in 1987. The network has also confirmed that Mercader had been on medical leave since February for an unnamed reason.
The journalist died in her native New York on Sunday. It appears that the news anchor had been hospitalized due to COVID-19 in a New York establishment prior to her death.
For more than 20 years, Mercader had fragile health after struggling with issues including cancer, which made her very vulnerable to the disease.
New York has now become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic despite the efforts put out by Andrew M. Cuomo, the current governor.
There have been over 59,000 cases and at least 965 deaths in New York. In a statement issued by CBS News, she was praised for her professionalism over the years for delivering important news from the U.S. and around the world to millions of viewers, including the tragic death of Princess Diana and the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Susan Zirinsky, CBS News president and senior executive producer, said the following in a statement: “Even more than her talents as a journalist, we will miss her indomitable spirit. Maria was part of all of our lives. Even when she was hospitalized – and she knew something was going on at CBS, she would call with counsel, encouragement, and would say ‘you can do this.’ I called Maria a ‘warrior,’ she was. Maria was a gift we cherished.”
Zirinsky added: “If you knew Maria, you loved her. She inspired everyone with the power of her spirit in the face of a serious illness; many would have succumbed to long ago. She endured harsh treatments and long hospitalizations, each time returning to the office triumphant. Maria was our ‘Fearless Girl’ long before that statue appeared on Wall Street.”
News veteran Dan Rather penned an emotional message that read: “A hard hit to the heart, longtime news colleague and friend Maria Mercader died from coronavirus. A paragon of grit and grace, she embodied the best of the @CBSNews mission. Millions of Americans learned of the world through her efforts. Now our world is less with her loss. RIP”
Commenters are reaching out to CBS and her family. One of them wrote: “My deepest condolences to her family, my daughter was a close friend of her and co-worker. May God have her by his side.”
A person, who knew the journalist, added: “This is one of the saddest days. Maria was my friend, neighbor, and customer in the town of Bronxville. Her spirit, her smile and laughter will be greatly missed. Our world lost a true wonder. May God bless her with a safe and peaceful journey to her eternal life. She will never be forgotten. Maria, we will all miss you terribly, we will keep you in our hearts always. You are now with your mom, watch over us, keep us safe.”
Mercader, who was born November 28, 1965, in New York City, she had gone to the Dominican Academy in Manhattan and later graduated from the College of New Rochelle in 1987 and went on to join the CBS Page Program.
Her impressive work as a journalist landed her an Emmy in 2004. Mercader leaves behind her father, Manuel, and brother, Manuel.
