Katherine Creag, a reporter for New York’s WNBC and familiar presence on the station’s morning news program Today in New York, died unexpectedly last night. She was 47.
Her death was announced today by WNBC. A cause had not been determined, with WNBC noting that Creag had not been ill and was working as recently as Wednesday morning.
“For ten years Kat was one of our cornerstones, always willing to help in any situation, whether it was a colleague in need or a shift that needed to be covered,” WNBC’s vice president of news, Amy Morris, said in an email to the staff. “She was thoughtful, funny and relentless. And even on the toughest days she was a bright light, quick with a kind word and a smile,”
Born in Manila, Creag joined WNBC in 2011 after five years at Fox. A 1996 graduate of New York University, Creag won or shared in winning multiple Emmys, AP and Murrow awards over the course of a career that also took her to Dallas, Charlotte and Syracuse.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted his condolences today, writing, “Katherine Creag was dedicated to connecting with New Yorkers and sharing their stories. She worked tirelessly for our city.”
Creag is survived by husband Bill Gafner, a son and two daughters.
Katherine Creag was dedicated to connecting with New Yorkers and sharing their stories. She worked tirelessly for our city. @NYCFirstLady and I send our deepest condolences to her family, friends and the @NBCNewYork community.https://t.co/q3WelvVT9b
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) February 11, 2021