The heartbreaking loss of news anchor Chris Burrous shocked the entire KTLA family, but especially those who worked with him on the weekend show.
Lynette Romero, who shared the weekend desk with him, posted a picture on Twitter Thursday night.
“You made me laugh until I cried. My tears now are for your sweet little girl, your wife Mai and your dear parents,” part of her post read.
There are no words. When we took this picture during our show I had no idea it would our last time together. You made me laugh until I cried. My tears now are for your sweet little girl, your wife Mai and your dear parents. We will miss you so… pic.twitter.com/nkvtrzHcX3
— Lynette Romero (@LynetteRomero) December 28, 2018
Weekend meteorologist Liberte Chan joined Friday’s newscast to talk about her friend.
“He was a master of live television,” she said. “I miss him so much. I’m sorry I don’t have the words to express exactly how I feel but he was more than just a colleague, he was one of my best friends here and I’m just so heartbroken over the loss of him,” she said.
Weekend entertainment reporter Dayna Devon said she was still in shock over the news Friday morning.
She posted a picture of the weekend crew having fun on the set to her Instagram account.
“I looked through all my pictures to find a shot where we weren’t goofing off…but we were always goofing off. That’s what I loved about him,” part of her post read.
Later, Devon came on the set to talk about the weekend show.
“I thought he was a genius … He just got it from every angle,” she said. “I just feel like we had magic in a bottle.”
She recalled how Chris would often walk around the newsroom with a cart and hand out coffee or doughnuts to the staff.
“He wasn’t just one way on TV. He really was like that. He treated the crew so well and the staff so well,” she said.
Burrous passed away Thursday after he was found unresponsive in Glendale.
He joined KTLA in 2011 after spending 14 years as a reporter and anchor at news stations across the U.S.
His weekend Burrous’ Bites segments highlighted little-known Southern California eateries and were a viewer favorite.
KTLA mourned the news of Burrous’ passing in a statement from President and General Manager Don Corsini and News Director Jason Ball.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Burrous family. Chris loved sharing the stories of Southern California and connecting with our viewers. He will be remembered as a great journalist and a wonderful friend to many. He brought a kindness to his work and will be deeply missed by the entire KTLA family.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Burrous family pay for funeral expenses and other costs.
His death is being investigated as a possible overdose, Glendale police said.