KHOU weekend evening anchor and reporter Marcelino Benito said he’s taking a leave of absence following the death of his mother from Alzheimer’s disease six weeks ago.
“Losing my mom has really shaken me,” Benito said in a video posted to Facebook. “She was a very, very important person in my life. I wouldn’t be in this position that I am now without her and her lessons and the type of mom she was.”
Benito, who was promoted to weekend anchor in January 2023, said he needs time away from the “stress and demands” of his job to focus on his grief.
“You have to feel the pain and hope to get to the other side. And so that’s what I’m going to do,” said Benito. “I’m making this decision with the full support of my bosses here at KHOU, who have been extremely supportive and had my back from the moment my mom became ill and continue to have my back today.”
He started working at KHOU in 2014.