Denise D’Ascenzo, the WSFB-TV news anchor and a fixture on Connecticut television screens remembered for her grace and class, has died suddenly and unexpectedly, the station announced in a story headlined, “Farewell, friend.”
She was a household name and presence in Connecticut for more than 30 years. The governor called her a “news legend” in a tribute after her death. She was only 61 years old.
What was the cause of death? Her family believes she died of a massive heart attack in her sleep, the station revealed.
“This is not supposed to happen,” her heartbroken co-anchor Dennis House said, fighting back tears. “It is so sudden and painful for all of us here. We’ll miss you.”
“We have some heartbreaking news to share tonight,” the station sadly confirmed. “Denise D’Ascenzo passed away today. It was sudden and unexpected. The grief we are all feeling is immeasurable. We are devastated for her husband and daughter who were her whole life.”
The station said she died at her Connecticut home. The station explained that Denise “came to WFSB-TV in 1986, and through the years has been a steady and reassuring presence on the anchor desk, covering all the major local and national news stories of the day.”
She was Connecticut’s “longest-serving news anchor at a single television station,” according to her station. An 11-time Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist, she anchored the 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM weekday newscasts.
Governor Ned Lamont wrote that the “news of @DeniseDAscenzo’s passing is incredibly saddening. She was a trusted name in journalism, and her work most certainly made an impact. My deepest condolences go to her family, friends, and colleagues at @WFSB. She is undoubtedly a CT news legend.”
“This is DEVASTATING news,” wrote journalist Todd Kazakiewich on Twitter, as tributes flowed in. “Denise D’Ascenzo was a legend in Ct broadcasting, a total class act, and the heart and soul of @WFSBnews. I will never forget the kindness she showed during the brief time I worked in Ct. My condolences. What a HUGE loss.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Dennis House Announced Denise’s Death on Air While Battling Tears, Calling Denise His Sister, ‘TV Wife,’ & Co-Anchor for 25 Years
You can watch the station’s video tribute to Denise above. It spans her life, her stories (including on conjoined twins), the birth of her daughter, and her various and much-copied hairstyles. Dennis House, as viewers know, was Denise’s co-anchor. On December 7, 2019, it fell to an emotional House to announce that D’Ascenzo had died earlier that day. “It’s extremely difficult to say,” said House, his voice cracking. “She was my sister, my TV wife, my best friend here, and my co-anchor for 25 years.”
His eyes were tear-filled.
“It was a sudden and unexpected death, and the grief we are all feeling is immeasurable,” House said, fighting back tears throughout the entire tribute.
He imparted a similar message as that in the station’s story, telling viewers: “We are devastated for her husband and daughter, who were really her whole life.” Whenever a loved one dies, it’s difficult for those closest to the person. In D’Ascenzo’s case, she was on television for so long that many people felt they knew her, stranger or not.
“She loved journalism and she loved telling stories,” House said.
On December 5, Dennis shared a photo that included Denise at a holiday lights event.
Come on down and join us for Holiday Light Fantasia at Goodwin Park! I’m here with @karasundlun and @DeniseDAscenzo ! It benefits @Channel3kCamp @WFSBnews and @NutmegStateFCU is a sponsor!
Throughout her career, Denise handled many major stories. They included the 1988 Republican National Convention, “the U.S. visit of Pope John Paul the II, the crash of United flight 232 and the arrest of the Washington, DC sniper,” her station says.
She had a passion for medical reporting. “Denise has long been a leading voice across Connecticut in raising greater awareness of such conditions as breast cancer, heart disease, obesity and disease prevention,” her station bio states.
2. D’Ascenzo Was Active on Social Media Recently & Leaves Behind Husband Wayne & Daughter Kathryn
FacebookKathryn Cooke’s Facebook profile picture.
D’Ascenzo was a mother and wife. “Denise and her husband, Wayne have a daughter, Kathryn. In her free time, Denise enjoys family outings, swimming, and hiking with her dogs,” her bio says.
According to a 2014 article in New Haven Independent and online records, Denise’s husband is named Wayne Cooke. Wayne’s family “ran Hilltop Orchards for years,” an Independent article reveals. At some point, according to the article, “Cooke and his family took the orchard down and replaced it with a hay field.”
She won awards for her journalism and was the “first woman to be inducted into the Connecticut Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame,” the station reported.
On Twitter, D’Ascenzo described herself as “Anchor at WFSB, wife, mother, unofficial station nurse and dog lover.” Her last tweet came on December 2. It was a retweet of Dennis House’s post about Rob Gronkowski and his girlfriend being spotted in Connecticut.
Her last post on Facebook came on November 25 and was a share of a news broadcast. She typically started her Facebook posts, “Hi, friends!”
She sometimes shared pictures of her daughter Kathryn Cooke on Facebook. “Hi, friends! March Madness is underway! I am rooting tonight for my alma mater, Syracuse University! Here’s a 2006 pic of Kathryn and me inside the Carrier Dome. Who are you rooting for? And who wins it all?” she wrote in a post a few months ago.
Her daughter’s Facebook page says she is Student Research Assistant at College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University and Outreach and Communications Intern at Cornell Lab of Ornithology. She is studying Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at Cornell University. She graduated from Branford High School in 2011.
Denise shared a photo showing a figurine of a mother and baby elephant, writing, “Hi, friends! I love all animals, especially elephants! This is a Mother’s Day gift from Kathryn. It makes me smile thinking about the days when she was little. Are there any other elephant fans out there?”
3. Denise Was Born in Washington D.C. But Was Raised in Maryland & She Started a School Newspaper at Age 12
Denise D’Ascenzo
D’Ascenzo had been interested in journalism since she was a young child. Born in Washington D.C. and raised in Rockville Maryland, by the age of 12 she had launched a school newspaper, her station biography says.
She was the editor of her high school newspaper and received a scholarship from the American Newspaper Women’s Club “to attend a summer journalism program at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University,” the bio explains.
All the hard work paid off. She “was elected to the Silver Circle, a prestigious honor bestowed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for significant contributions to broadcasting,” the station explained.
She later earned college degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.
In 2013, on Veterans’ Day, she shared information about her father, writing, “I’m thinking of my father on this Veterans Day. Here are two photos of my Dad, Salvatore D’Ascenzo, who served with the Marine Corps, 6th Division during World War II. Somehow, he survived the battle for Sugarloaf Hill on Okinawa. To my Dad and all veterans — a heartfelt thank you for your service and sacrifice.”
4. Denise Got Her Start on TV in Syracuse
Although she was a fixture on Connecticut television, Denise also worked in Syracuse, New York. She shared the above throwback picture.
“Hi, friends! #ThrowbackThursday,” she wrote. “This is from my first TV job at WIXT-TV in Syracuse, New York! I was a senior at Syracuse University and I had no clothes for TV! To this day, I am grateful for the friends who bailed me out! ?”
However, her station biography says she also worked in Cleveland. “It was a marriage that brought Denise to Connecticut from Cleveland, Ohio where she anchored the top rated 6:00 and 11:00 newscasts at WJKW-TV,” her bio reads. “Before Cleveland, Denise worked in St. Louis as a reporter and talk show host at KSDK-TV.”
It was Syracuse, though, that “launched her career,” the bio reads. “Denise landed her first television job at WIXT-TV in Syracuse, doing the nightly weather forecast while she finished her senior year at Syracuse University.”
She also shared this throwback picture.
Denise D’Ascenzo
In May, she shared another old picture, writing, “This picture was taken 23 years ago today! Feels like yesterday.”
Denise D’Ascenzo
“I’m shaken to the core & devastated,” wrote Patricia Del Rio. “My colleague Denise D’Ascenzo died suddenly today. My heart breaks for her daughter & husband. She was the best in the business. Classy, smart, funny & kind. That voice. That smile. She was my friend & mentor. I was lucky to have known her.
?.”
5. People Offered Tributes Saying That They Appreciated Denise’s On-Air Persona
Tributes began to flow into social media.
“I am shocked to read about Denise D’Ascenzo unexpected death. I did not know her well. She was a very nice person. Sweet. She seemed like her on-air persona,” wrote one man on Twitter.
“This hit me right in the feels. still shaking from this news. a hundred of these videos wouldn’t do her career and impact on the state justice. a true trailblazer and legend. RIP Denise,” wrote another.
“My Twitter feed’s full of tributes to Denise D’Ascenzo. Pretty amazing how a local news woman could be so sincerely missed. I didn’t know her, yet I grew up watching her. The tributes are a testament to the great person she was,” a man wrote.
This post is being updated as more information is learned about Denise D’Ascenzo’s cause of death.
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