News anchor Jovita Moore died late Thursday night after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer seven months ago, according to WSB-TV/Channel 2. She was 53.
“It is with a broken heart that we announce the passing of Channel 2′s Jovita Moore,” the channel wrote. “Jovita had been with Channel 2 Action News since 1998.”
In April, Jovita’s doctors discovered two tumors on her brain. And after undergoing surgery, she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the most common types of brain cancer.
Glioblastoma is an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord, according to Mayo Clinic. It forms from cells called astrocytes that support nerve cells. Glioblastoma can occur at any age but tends to occur more often in older adults.
Jovita had a long and successful career in the news business. She worked with WMC-TV in Memphis and KFSM in Fayetteville and Fort Smith, Arkansas before joining WSB-TV in 1998, moving to the main anchor desk in 2012.
She received several Emmy Awards during her years at WSB-TV. “Her awards and accolades are endless, but for those of us here at Channel 2, her heart and her spirit are what our newsroom was built around,” WSB-TV wrote.
Born on October 4, 1967, in New York City, Jovita loved news from an early age, as her mother Yvonne would come home from work, turn on the TV and watch the news, and she enjoyed watching it with her mother.
Jovita earned a Bachelor’s degree from Bennington College and interned at The New York Times. She got a Masters’ degree in broadcast journalism at Columbia University.
Along with newscasting, Jovita helped out several civic associations and non-profit organizations throughout metro Atlanta. She also spent time with numerous boards of directors, including the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists.
Jovita is survived by her mother, her two wonderful children, and her stepdaughter.
