Veteran L.A. anchor Leslie Sykes signed off from behind KABC-TV Channel 7’s “Eyewitness News” desk for the last time Tuesday. She is retiring after more than 30 years at the station.
“It is so hard to believe that this is my last day on this set,” the longtime co-anchor of the morning news show said while flanked by her colleagues. “It’s been the privilege of my life to wake up with you and to share your stories and to be welcomed into your homes every morning. I carry with me so many memories, so much laughter, endless gratitude for the trust you’ve placed in me.”
“I may be signing off but I will always be cheering for this city and this station, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for letting me be part of your lives,” she concluded, before the St. Joseph High School marching band filed onto the set to salute their alum.
Sykes, who was born in San Diego, grew up in Compton. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta before eventually heading to Hattiesburg, Miss., for her first on-air post. She returned to her hometown to join KABC in 1994 as an on-air reporter before moving behind the anchor desk for the weekend, daytime and, eventually, the morning news show. Sykes announced her plans to retire last month.
ABC7’s tribute package to Sykes included a sendoff from David Muir as well as a sit-down interview with fellow anchor and friend Jovana Lara.
“[Sykes will] admit to some jitters in the beginning, but she was mostly fearless even when some of those stories proved bigger and more impactful,” Lara said in a voice-over on the reel that included clips highlighting Sykes’ life and career. “She’s been among the best covering local news and reporting from abroad.”
When asked about what it feels like to know that she is cherished by the local community, Sykes said she couldn’t believe it.
“I feel the love,” she said. “I feel the connection. And I just feel like this is my hometown, these are my people, and I’m just very grateful.”
The post ‘Grateful’ anchor Leslie Sykes retires after three decades at L.A.’s ‘Eyewitness News’ appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
