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A longtime NBC employee died Thursday after testing positive for the coronavirus.
In an email to staff, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack confirmed the death of beloved audio technician Larry Edgeworth. He also suffered from other health issues, according to his wife Crystal, which put him at greater risk of contracting the deadly virus, NBC News reports.
READ MORE: New Orleans man, 58, becomes Louisiana’s first coronavirus death
Edgeworth spent 25 years at NBC News’s Rockefeller Plaza headquarters, and was known as “a gentle bear of a man” and “the heart and soul of our extended NBC family,” said Andrea Mitchell, NBC News‘ chief foreign affairs correspondent.
“Many of you were fortunate enough to work with Larry over the years, so you know that he was the guy you wanted by your side no matter where you were,” Lack wrote in the memo.
Larry Edgeworth, a beloved NBC News colleague and “the guy you wanted by your side no matter where you were,” has died after testing positive for coronavirus. https://t.co/eOghkAHeNb
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 20, 2020
The man on the left is Larry Edgeworth. I met him as the sound tech on our team that covered the Romney campaign in 2012. He called me “slim,” and helped me put together my first resume tape. He was SO proud of his kids. He was hilarious. Yesterday he lost his fight with COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/73D93utgPX
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) March 20, 2020
Edgeworth is survived by his wife and two sons.
“We are doing everything we can to support his family during this difficult time,” Lack noted in the email.
“Thinking about Larry & his family today,” MSNBC booker Jesse Rodriguez said. “Always had a smile on his face when I would see him. Always eager to help. A tough day.”
Today show host Savannah Guthrie posted a photo of her with Edgeworth and two other men.
“The good old days with Larry. Rest In Peace,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
Journalist Mara Schiavocampo, who used to work with Edgeworth, also remembered him in a post.
“I am stunned. I just found out one of my former co-workers at NBC died from Coronavirus. I worked with Larry Edgeworth for years,” Schiavocampo wrote.
“We spent about two months together in Louisiana covering the BP oil spill in 2010. Our team literally lived together, all bunked up in a row of rented condos.
“Larry was a gentle giant…huge guy with an equally huge heart. I never worried when I was working with him, I knew he’d always have my back,” she added.
“Just yesterday I said that before this is over, we’ll all know someone who was affected. I didn’t know that day would come so soon. Love and prayers to his family. He was a great dad who loved his boys.”
News of Edgeworth’s death comes days after Al Roker revealed to Today viewers live from his kitchen that a staff member of the show contracted coronavirus, TheGrio previously reported.
Roker took to Twitter to announce his social distancing will not stop his weather reports. He said the technical crew came to his house and set him up to go “live from my kitchen.”
“Our crack #techsupport team at @nbcnews #fieldtransmission has my tech outfitted so I will be broadcasting from the Roker/Roberts #kitchen tomorrow am on @todayshow,” Roker tweeted. “Everybody’s fine here at the Roker household, and we will see you then.”
Our crack #techsupport team at @nbcnews #fieldtransmission has my tech outfitted so I will be broadcasting from the Roker/Roberts #kitchen tomorrow am on @todayshow and @3rdhourtoday pic.twitter.com/rONrLDb4RX
— Al Roker (@alroker) March 16, 2020
READ MORE: Al Roker reveals ‘Today’ staffer tests positive for coronavirus
Roker and Craig Melvin began self-isolating for 15 days after a staff member, who works as a producer for the third hour of the show, tested positive for the disease, reported Deadline.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, employees at ABC News, CBS News, CNN, The New York Times, Vox Media and Conde Nast have tested positive for the coronavirus.
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