Aaron Brown dead at 76: Veteran newsman and former CNN anchor has passed away

Veteran news anchor Aaron Brown started his career in local television in Seattle and was founding anchor of ABC’s overnight news program ‘World News Now’ he also anchored ‘World News Tonight Saturday’ before joining CNN.

After he became part of CNN, Aaron Brown anchored ‘NewsNight’ from 2001 to 2005. On the day of the 9/11 attacks on September 11, 2001, Aaron Brown wasn’t scheduled to go on air that morning, but he went on air as news broke and this was his first appearance on the channel.

CNN reported that “Brown’s coverage of the 9/11 attacks from the roof of CNN’s Manhattan office at 5 Penn Plaza near Madison Square Garden established him as a trusted figure during one of the darkest moments in American history, said CNN’s John Vause, who also reported from New York that day. Brown reported live on the attacks for 17 hours.”

CNN’s John Vause recalled how Aaron Brown took off his reporter hat to react when the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed and he said of Aaron Brown that “When he was live on air, he just stopped and looked at it. And paused. And he shared this moment that everybody was thinking, ‘Good Lord. There are no words.”

After the 9/11 attacks happened, Aaron Brown went to Washington and John Vause recalled that Aaron Brown “walked to a hotel foyer and everybody in that foyer stood up and applauded” to congratulate him on the live coverage.”

Many colleagues and fans have been paying tribute to Aaron Brown. Anchor Lisa McRee said: “I’ll miss you my dear friend. Thank you for everything,” whilst TV channel WISH-TV in Indiana wrote: “Aaron Brown,the renowned former CNN anchor who gained prominence for breaking the news of 9/11 on-air and following coverage of the attacks, died Sunday. He was 76 years old."