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By Billie Schwab Dunn
Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter
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Ana Orsini's final message before her unexpected death has been revealed, providing insight into her kind and caring personality.
The 28-year-old was a news anchor for KOLD 13 News before she suddenly died from a brain aneurysm. Her death was announced on Monday night by co-anchors Tyler Butler and Carsyn Currier, who remembered Orsini's vivacious personality and spoke about how beloved she was. An emotional Currier—who momentarily broke down in tears—added that the news had left them "devastated."
Now the final message Orisini posted to social media has been uncovered, further proving how thoughtful the beloved news anchor was. The post in question was her encouraging her Facebook followers to help find a missing dog, which belonged to a young autistic boy.
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"PLEASE keep your eye out for this dog. Maisie was last seen on Thursday in the area of Camino Seco and Irvington. She is an emotional support animal (or ESA) for a 13-year-old boy who was diagnosed with autism. His mom has spent the past few days driving from Sierra Vista to Tucson to try and find her," she wrote.
"She is so beautiful and SO loved. Let's help bring Maisie home!!"
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In a statement shared with Newsweek, Jessica Bobula, news director of KOLD 13 News, said Orisini's friends and coworkers remember her as "someone with bottomless empathy who always stood up for the little guy."
The statement reads: "She was a smiling face most especially for all her newest and youngest coworkers, and she is known in all the newsrooms where she worked for taking them under her wing and being a strong mentor for both work and life. Rescue animals were her passion, and if she wasn't celebrating Fur Baby Friday, she'd be trying to find a new home for a cutie in need ... She was a peanut-butter-M&M-loving, platform-Ugg-wearing, pink-or-purple-Stanley-toting ray of sunshine, even at 4:00 in the morning.
"The Orsini family says they want Ana to be remembered for the bright, sunny person she was. If you would like to do something in Ana's memory, please donate to your local animal shelter–Ana never met a dog she didn't love!"
Orsini had an overwhelmingly positive impact on those around her, which has been further proven by her colleagues who have shared emotional tributes following the tragic news.
The evening anchor for KOLD 13 News, Brooke Wagner, referred to Orsini as a "firecracker."
"A shooting star. A glowing soul. A firecracker. Ana, we will miss you so much. You and your family are ever in our thoughts," she posted on Facebook.
Weekend anchor Sean Mahoney also shared his tribute on Facebook, writing: "If you ever had the chance to interact with Ana she made sure to make you feel welcome with an energy that was infectious and unlike any other.
"I'll always cherish the time we got to spend together and she definitely leaves a hole in Tucson. My heart goes out to the Orsini family and the rest of my KOLD News 13 family. Rest easy Ana."
Butler and Currier followed up the emotional broadcast on Monday with social media tributes to their late colleague.
"We have some truly sad news to share this morning. Our beloved Ana Orsini TV passed away suddenly late last week. She was truly one of a kind. Crazy passionate about helping animals, she had a great and sarcastic sense of humor, and was so dedicated to her family," Butler wrote on Facebook, sharing photos of him and Currier alongside Orsini.
"She LOVED her family and talked about them all the time. I'm glad to have been a small part of her work family. Please take a moment today to think about Ana. A time she made you laugh or think about something in a different way. She was too young, but we can remember her always. For years to come, we'll be repeating her mantra. 'Let the women do the work!'"
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Currier reflected on the enthusiasm Orsini brought to the newsroom, as well as how special she made people feel.
"Ana was not only beautiful, talented, and hilarious, but she was unlike anyone I've ever met. To know Ana was to LOVE her. She made everyone around her feel so special, heard and understood. Waking up in the middle of the night to go to work is always challenging, but knowing I was going to work with Ana made it that much easier. Whether she was dancing around the set or making us all laugh, everyday with Ana was an adventure," she captioned her post, which featured a variety of photos of her and Orsini together.
"Ana's family was everything to her. She was a proud daughter, sister, and the best dog mom to her baby boy, Harley. She was an advocate for animals, women's rights, and one heck of a friend. Time may pass, but my memories of Ana will never fade. I love you forever, Ana."
Currier concluded the post by saying Orsini would "always be the Bratz Doll to my Barbie Doll" and promised that she would "keep living fully for YOU."
Cory Kowotiz, the KOLD meteorologist, shared his tribute on X (formerly Twitter), calling Orsini a "beloved member" of the news team.
"Ana Orsini was our anchor, a leader of the morning team, and most importantly a great friend to so many at the station. I had the pleasure of working with her during the morning, even though it was for too short of a time," he posted.
Orsini graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018 and spent three years at KDRV NewsWatch 12 before joining KOLD 13 News in June 2023.
Update 12/18/24, 11:57 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include a statement from KOLD 13 News.
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