Washington D.C. news reporter Derrick Ward has died at 62, according to NBC4 Washington.
Ward passed away on Jan. 7 from complications related to cardiac arrest. He is survived by his three children: Derrick Jr., Ian, and Marisa. In a statement, the Ward family honored their patriarch, praising him as an inspiration and cherished community member.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Derrick Ward Sr. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, following complications from a recent cardiac arrest. Derrick has been an inspiration and cherished member of our family and his hometown community as a longtime reporter at News4 Washington and previously at WTOP Radio. As a distinguished journalist, Derrick’s storytelling, prolific writing, warmth, and humor touched countless lives. Our children and our entire family will miss him dearly.”
A native of Washington D.C., Ward graduated from the University of Maryland and began his reporting career in radio. He worked at WPFW, WAMU, and WTOP before moving to television news in Buffalo, New York. He returned to the Washington news market in 2006.
NBC4 Washington produced a moving tribute to Ward, celebrating his accomplishments as a newscaster. The clip included viewer messages, colleague testimonials, and career highlights.
For nearly 20 years, Ward was a trusted voice on the Washington beat, covering some of the nation’s most critical events, including the Iran-Contra hearings, the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon, and the Washington-area sniper shootings.
President of WTOP News, Joel Oxley, praised Ward’s character highly.
“Derrick Ward was truly an outstanding journalist. His passion and dedication are shown through every day. But what set him apart was what a great person he was. His warmth and caring were evident at every turn. Everybody liked Derrick. I saw why right away. He’ll be missed tremendously,” Oxley said.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
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