Tucson news anchor Ana Orsini dies at 28

The sudden death of a young, vibrant, KOLD 13 news co-anchor last week was the result of a brain aneurysm, her station reported.

Ana Orsini, 28, had been a morning anchor with KOLD since June 2023. Those she spent time with took to social media this week to remember the bright, bubbly person she was, and as the hardworking journalist they will always remember.

“When I first met Ana, she was at her desk, covered head to toe in pink,” wrote Ashe Hajek, who worked with Orsini before her days at KOLD. “She was courageous, and fearless, and knew how to lead a newsroom with a look alone. She never shied away from being her authentic self and pushed others to find their path.”

Ana was “a force to be reckoned with, and she let you know it,” Hajek wrote. “She was brave, and strong and had a willingness to try anything once during my time with her.”

KOLD News Director Jessica Bobula described Orsini as someone who stood up for the underdogs and was filled with “bottomless empathy.” She was a mentor for new and aspiring coworkers, who she guided through not only work, but life, she wrote.

With a heart filled with love for her furry friends, Orsini had a passion for rescue animals, and doted on her own dog, Harley, KOLD reported.

While working at a previous station in Texas, Orsini launched the “Pet of the Day” segment to help local shelter animals. She told coworkers it was the highlight of her time there.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

The Orsini family told KOLD they want Ana to be remembered for the bright, sunny person she was.

If you would like to do something in Orsini’s memory, please donate to your local animal shelter, they said.

“She was truly one of a kind,” Ty Butler, a KOLD anchor, posted on Facebook. “Crazy passionate about helping animals, she had a great and sarcastic sense of humor, and was so dedicated to her family. She LOVED her family and talked about them all the time. I’m glad to have been a small part of her work family.”

Born and raised in Denver, Orsini started her college career at the University of Arizona.

After a semester, she traded in the mountains for the plains, graduating from Texas A&M in 2018 with a degree in journalism and a double minor in communication and sports management, KOLD said.

Before coming back to Southern Arizona, Orsini was in Medford, Oregon, where she spent three years as a morning and midday anchor.