Ruschell Boone, an award-winning reporter and anchor for New York City TV station NY1, passed away due to complications from pancreatic cancer over the last year.
A news release from NY1 said Boone, 48, died on Sunday.
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She was a beloved colleague, and friend. Tributes have been pouring in and several elected officials had only good things to say about Boone.
Mayor Eric Adams spoke to NY1 about what he will remember most about her.
“That laugh, she had an unbelievable laugh m. She looked at me all the time and said you know Eric, why are you frowning? I think about it on the podium know all the stuff she went through, I don’t have any way I can complain because she didn’t complain. She was the heart and soul of the greatest city on the globe, New York City, and we were even better because we had her in our lives.”
Senator Chuck Schumer also shared his thoughts on social media calling Boone a great New York journalist.
Congress member, Alexandra Ocasio Cortez also wrote on social media – she called Ruschell a legendary journalist who left an indelible impact on NYC. Cortez recalled that Boone was the first reporter to tell her that the won her first election.
Boone joined the all-news station as a reporter covering the borough of Queens in 2002 and moved to the anchor desk in 2021 with a noon slot. She was known for her coverage of the city’s diverse immigrant communities.
Charter Communications, who owns NY1 said Boone “had a unique ability to connect with New Yorkers — through the screen and in person — in a way that made her feel like a trusted friend.”
She reported on big stories like Superstorm Sandy and protests following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, and she also was a fixture at celebrations including Brooklyn’s annual West Indian American Day parade and the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop.
Boone won several awards over the course of her career, including a New York Press Club award for best feature reporting and a New York Emmy award for her series “New York: Unfiltered.”
After her cancer diagnosis, Boone took a leave from NY1 from June 2022 to March of this year for a grueling series of chemotherapy treatments.
But she announced on social media on July 27 that her cancer had taken a turn for the worse. “Unfortunately, my cancer has metastasized in my liver and I’m back in treatment,” Boone said on X, formerly Twitter. “It’s rough, but the chemo is working.”
She added, “Prayers have carried me through the difficult moments. Thank u for rooting for me.”
Boone is survived by her husband, Todd Boone, and two sons.
