WBTV reporter Steve Crump died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 65.
Crump was diagnosed with cancer in 2018. The Charlotte CBS affiliate said Crump was a “beloved member of the WBTV family who was the conscience of a newsroom he loved and a community he served.”
“Our hearts are breaking as we share the news of the passing of our beloved Steve. He was determined to share the truth and broadcasting became the chosen vehicle. His true passion was being a part of the lives of the people in his community and sharing their truths. We will remain steadfast and never forget his passion.” said Crump’s wife Cathy Crump.
“It is with great sadness that WBTV announces the passing of Steve Crump. Steve was a devoted newsman who spent decades passionately telling the stories of the greater Charlotte community. He was also a cherished colleague, friend and mentor to many, both in the WBTV newsroom and throughout the country. Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve’s wife, Cathy, and with his many friends who will be touched by his loss,” a WBTV statement read.
A native of Louisville’s Smoketown neighborhood, he graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1980 and worked for Lexington’s WKYT and several other news stations around the country before joining WBTV in 1984.
The station also remembered Crump’s career achievements:
It was a storied career that included a multitude of awards, such as being named Educator of the Year by the Charlotte Post Foundation, receiving the City of Charlotte’s Martin Luther King Junior Medallion Award and being honored with the 2021 Mosaic Award by the Public Relations Society of America Charlotte Chapter.
Steve was the second-ever recipient of the Mosaic Award in Charlotte. One of Steve’s highest journalism accolades came in 2016 when he was recognized with the first-ever Journalist of the Year Award by the National Association of Black Journalists.
He’s also produced documentaries and dozens of films in his career, including his Emmy-winning “Orangeburg 50 Years Later,” a documentary remembering the tragic events of the Orangeburg Massacre in South Carolina.
“His lasting legacy will be in the lessons he taught, the reminders he gave us by telling the stories he insisted we never forget,” said the station.