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The 62-year-old veteran journalist Derrick Ward passed away on Tuesday due to complications arising from a recent cardiac arrest. Ward was a prolific journalist who, throughout his career, had covered multiple major events.
Some of these events included the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the attack on the Pentagon, the Iran-Contra hearings, and sniper shootings in Washington, among others.
"Our beloved Derrick Ward, Sr., on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, following complications from a recent cardiac arrest," Lydia Sermons, Ward's former wife, wrote in a statement. "Derrick has been an inspiration and cherished member of our family and his hometown community," the statement added.
Community and family mourn as Derrick Ward passed away at the age of 62
The NBC Washington journalist Derrick Ward grew up in Washington D.C. and studied at HD Woodson High School before graduating from the University of Maryland. Ward began his journalistic career at a local radio station before working as a reporter at WKBW-TV in Buffalo and later moved back to Washington, where he joined NBC Washington in 2006.
"As a distinguished journalist, Derrick's storytelling, prolific writing, warmth, and humor touched countless lives," a statement released by Ward's family read.
As per the reports, Ward celebrated his 62nd birthday recently. Following his passing, friends and family members are pouring their respect on the veteran journalist. WRC-TV released a statement, paying tribute to Ward, where they called him "the station's resident DC historian and poet." Ward's colleague Sam Ford took to social media to show his respect for his beloved friend and colleague.
"Sad news this morning, I learned that my longtime colleague Derrick Ward of WRC-TV4 died yesterday following a heart attack late last month. He was a serious journalist, born and raised here in DC. He worked years on radio and then switched to television about 20 years ago," the post read. "We always enjoyed running into each other on stories, had no trouble sharing info if one of us was late," it added.
Apart from reporting, Ward also had a passion for music. His Facebook timeline is full of clips of various bands, including Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, Geno Washington, and the Ram Jam, among others. His Facebook profile picture also shows a black-and-white picture of him playing guitar.
Ward has left behind a legacy and three children, including Derrick Jr., Ian, and Marisa.
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"Our children and our entire family will miss him dearly. We ask for your thoughts and prayers during this time, and we extend our gratitude to everyone for the outpouring of love and support," the family statement concluded.
The family further informed that they will share details regarding Ward's memorial service in the coming days.
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