'Her impact on the world was immeasurable': 'Treasured' news anchor Soni Dimond dies aged 67 after suffering cardiac arrest

The self-described 'Queenager' went into cardiac arrest on Friday December 27, but never recovered and died on Thursday (January 9) in hospital.

Dimond, who had a career in the media spanning 45 years, was a part-time presenter on local news station ABC 27 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she hosted the a lifestyle segment called Vibrant Living as part of the show Good Day.

The star, who has been described as a "cherished member" of ABC27, "never regained consciousness" after the health emergency, according to her obituary.

Colleagues at the TV station presented tributes to her on-air after news of her death broke. “Soni will long be remembered for the energy and glamour she brought every time she stepped into the ABC27 studio,” the station said. Amy Kehm, who hosted Good Day PA, became emotional and tears welled in her eyes as she spoke of her admiration for Dimond.

“This was her idea to host a segment called 'Vibrant Living' because that's how she was living - vibrantly,” she said. “I'm a better person for meeting Soni and there's a reason she had the last name that she did because we all want to shine bright like a Soni Dimond.”

Former colleague, now WBAL anchor, Robert Lang added: “Soni Dimond was an absolute treasure, a wonderful PR professional and classy lady. Loved working alongside her in Harrisburg.”

Dimond began her career at ABC 27 as an intern in 1978, when the station was then known as WTPA-TV 27. She became the station’s first weekend news anchor a year later, and was also its first female anchor. During the week she also filed reports for for WGAL-TV8 and presented a segment called Consumer Corner.

Dimond left journalism later in the 1980s and worked for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 1995, she decided to start her own PR firm, named after herself - Soni Dimond Media. She was named among the Best 50 Women in Business in Pennsylvania Award in 2003 as a result of her firm.

She returned ABC 27 in 2018, and this is when she pitched Vibrant Living as a segment about about seniors and how they were enjoying life because that is what she felt she was doing.

"Her passing has sent waves of sadness throughout the community, as well as the professional world she so expertly navigated," the obituary read. "To know Soni was to know a person whose energy was contagious, whose commitment was unmatched, and whose smile could brighten any room." The obituary also described Dimond as someone who truly "made an impact," not only with her skills as a reporter and producer, but also with her "willingness to help those around her" throughout her decades-long career.

It further read: “As we reflect on Soni’s life, we remember the love she gave, the lives she touched, and the difference she made in both her profession and her community, we remember her as a woman who lived with grace, compassion, and integrity.

"Soni leaves behind a legacy of kindness, professionalism, and service — one that will continue to inspire everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. Her impact on the world was immeasurable, and her love and influence will continue to live on through you.

“Rest in peace, Soni Dimond. Your legacy will never be forgotten, and the love you gave to the world will continue to shine brightly in our hearts. You are deeply missed, but you will always be remembered."

Dimond is survived by her husband of 28 years, Kevin Martorana, and her niece Elena Lomicky, son-in-law Joe, grandson Emerson. Her funeral is on Friday (January 17) at Wiedeman Funeral Home and Cremation Services, on Harrisburg Street in Oberlin, Pennsylvania.