Ana Orsini, a 28-year-old Arizona news anchor, left an indelible mark with her vibrant personality and unwavering dedication. Her colleagues and those who knew her deeply mourn her sudden passing.

Remembering Ana Orsini

On Tuesday, Dec. 17, her colleague Tyler Butler wrote on Facebook about Ana's tragic death due to a brain aneurysm. It was a shock that left everyone in disbelief. As Butler shared, "It’s so horrible, so sudden." Ana was truly a force of nature. He recalled how she'd snap at self-deprecating jokes about her friends. Her genuine care for those around her will be deeply missed.In KOLD's tribute, Ana was remembered as someone with bottomless empathy who always stood up for "the little guy." She had a reputation for mentoring younger coworkers, showing her leadership and kindness.Ana was passionate about rescuing animals and was a big listener of true crime podcasts. She was a "peanut-butter-M&M-loving" and "platform-Ugg-wearing" anchor who brought a ray of sunshine even at 4:00 in the morning.The journalist's death was announced by her colleagues at the CBS affiliate in Tucson during a broadcast on Monday, Dec. 16. Butler told viewers, "Sad news to share with you, our beloved friend and co-anchor Ana Orsini passed away unexpectedly last week." Co-anchor Carsyn Currier added, holding back tears, "Ana has been here at 13 News since June of 2023, and we are devastated by this loss."According to Ana's bio, she began her journalism career in 2018 at a news station in Lubbock, Texas, after graduating from Texas A&M University in College Station. She then moved to Medford, Ore., where she spent three years as a morning/midday anchor and covered a wide range of stories, from major wildfires to helping shelter pets find their forever homes.Those who knew Ana are deeply grieving her loss. Butler wrote on Monday, "She was truly one of a kind. Crazy passionate about helping animals, she had a great and sarcastic sense of humor and was so dedicated to her family. She LOVED her family and talked about them all the time. I’m glad to have been a small part of her work family."On Instagram, Currier remembered Ana as a friend who "made it that much easier" to wake up in the middle of the night for the early morning shift. She wrote, "Ana was not only beautiful, talented and hilarious, but she was unlike anyone I’ve ever met. To know Ana was to LOVE her. She made everyone around her feel so special, heard and understood." She added, "She was a proud daughter, sister and the best dog mom to her baby boy, Harley. Rest in peace, sister. I promise to keep living fully for YOU."Anchor Dan Marries wrote in his tribute, "There are special people who come into our lives that will have an everlasting impact and Ana Orsini was one of them. Ana, you were one in a trillion; wise beyond your years, full of practical insight, smart, compassionate, quick-witted and possessed a contagious love for animals, especially dogs." He added, "We are all so heartbroken over this sudden and unexpected loss. Ana, your memory is something I’ll use as strength and inspiration trying to move forward without you here in the physical world. Ana, you are, and will, be missed so dearly."