00:00We are back this morning with some news that has left our entire Today Show family heartbroken.
00:05We lost up a loved member of our team suddenly over this weekend.
00:08His name was Rick Romo, and he worked at NBC since 1979.
00:12And more than 30 of those years were right here at the Today Show.
00:16I mean, he really did it all.
00:18He ran our West Coast office, also covered everything from the O.J. Simpson trial to earthquakes.
00:23I remember I would work with him on a lot of the red carpet events we would do.
00:26And he just had this infectious smile and this wonderful, wonderful attitude.
00:32In fact, Rick was so well-known, so trusted that many stars actually asked to work with him.
00:38And they would come right up to him on the red carpet.
00:41He had an especially close and treasured relationship with the late, great Fred Astaire.
00:46Yeah, he was a great storyteller.
00:48He was incredibly funny.
00:50Rick knew everybody on the NBC lot.
00:52They knew him.
00:54He knew the security guards and all the way up to Johnny Carson himself.
00:57He brought a smile to everybody's face literally just when Rick walked in the door.
01:01He was also a talented writer, a producer, and mentor.
01:05His colleagues in L.A. say he was a ray of positivity, of light, and loved the most beloved person
01:10in the newsroom.
01:11Never in a bad mood.
01:12Always the calm in the storm.
01:14Our staff is just heartbroken at this loss.
01:17They were swapping memories yesterday, and those same words kept coming up.
01:20Kind, upbeat, gracious, considerate.
01:23No matter the story or the circumstance, no matter how stressful it could get, they say Rick was always happy
01:29and fun to be with, and he would do anything for you.
01:32He'd do anything for his family, his friends, and his colleagues.
01:35Look at him.
01:36Rick Romo, we send our love and our deepest sympathies to your beloved wife of 40 years, Carol, his sister
01:42Diana, his brothers, Jim, and Dan.
01:45And our hearts go out to the family and also our family of producers in L.A.
01:49because they're hurting this morning.
01:51He will be greatly missed.
01:53We're going to really miss that man, as well, our L.A. Bureau.
01:57Yeah.
Comments