Michael Feeney, a former New York Daily News reporter who was to start a job at CNN, died today from complications from a staph infection.
Feeney, 32, was planning a move to Atlanta where he accepted a job as an entertainment reporter. He fell ill last week and died this afternoon at a hospital in Teaneck, N.J.
Until last month, Feeney was president of the New York chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. In 2010, he was named the Emerging Journalist of the year by the NABJ. “He did whatever he could with any person who he came across who wanted to know anything about journalism and about life,” his mother told the Daily News.
Feeney was a staff writer with the Daily News until 2014. Since then he’d been freelancing for NBC News, Ebony, and other publications and was to start his new job at CNN.com in Atlanta next month. Feeney, a New Jersey native, graduated from Delaware State University in 2005. He is survived by his mother, sister and twin brother.
Big loss for @NABJ and @apa1906NETwork: Journalist Michael @mfeeney died this morning. He was a rising star. Sad. pic.twitter.com/XP6r9mofy4
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) January 31, 2016
Just heard that Michael Feeney , young dynamic journalist died this morning. A good brother and fine journalist. Sad news, RIP Michael.
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) January 31, 2016