A beloved Washington D.C.-based journalist who has been telling stories for over four decades is stepping away from the news desk for good. NBC 4 Washington D.C.’s Leon Harris just announced that he is calling it quits in order to “focus on his health and family.”
“After 40+ years of nonstop work and the dramatic changes in the news and television industry, I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my role at NBC4,” read a statement from Harris posted on the station’s website.
Harris made headlines of his own late last year when he appeared to slur his words and struggle to pronounce others during a Thanksgiving newscast. As The Root reported, Harris was removed from the desk during a break and has not appeared on air in the four months since the incident. Neither Harris nor the station have shared any additional information on the cause of his on-air health scare.
In addition to the eight years he spent at NBC 4 in Washington, D.C. Harris also spent 21 years as an anchor at CNN in the 1980s. Before signing off, Harris gave a shout-out to his NBC 4 colleagues and thanked the viewers for welcoming him into their homes during his eight years with the station.
“It’s been an honor. Thank you,” his statement read.
The staff at NBC 4 Washington shared a special message of thanks to Harris on Instagram.
“We are grateful for Leon’s eight years of service to our newsroom. We thank him for his commitment to our community, dedication to journalism, hard work, and friendship. He will be missed, and we wish him nothing but the best,” the post read.
Fans flooded the comments with well-wishes.
“We love you to the moon and back Leon. Team Leon 365. Be you and do you. We are here for you!” wrote one commenter.