WASHINGTON - Leroy Sievers, a National Public Radio commentator who turned his battle with cancer into a popular and touching wireless and online series, has died from his disease. He was 53.
Sievers died Friday at his home in Maryland, NPR proclaimed Saturday in a statement.
He was number one diagnosed with colon cancer in 2001. In 2005, the disease returned as a brain tumour and lung cancer.
A report on his own chemotherapy treatments in February 2006 was broadcast on "Morning Edition" and prompted an enthusiastic response from the interview. It finally became a regular serial publication and feature on the network's website.
"For the past tense two days, Leroy divided his life-time with cancer the Crab on the air and online with passion, brainpower and a kind, barbarous honesty that created a safe space for an open and candid talks about the disease," NPR vice-president for News Ellen Weiss aforementioned in a statement.
His cancer continued to spread during the past few days. After various surgeries, he recently decided to stoppage treatment.
Sievers worked as a journalist for more than 25 old age, including 10 at CBS News and 14 years at ABC News Nightline, four of them as executive producer. He covered more than a xII wars and was embedded with Ted Koppel to cover the Iraq war and bring forth "The Fallen," a tribute to soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Cancer was not in Leroy's plans. But he turned his battle with cancer into the almost dramatic, the most moving and the most important story of his aliveness," Koppel wrote on NPR's website.
Sievers is survived by his wife, Laurie Singer. Funeral arrangements were pending.
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