TV news anchor behind famed Christmas parade dies months after shock diagnosis

A seasoned North Carolina writer known for being the look of the famed Raleigh's Christmas Parade has died conscionable months aft a daze crab diagnosis. 

Longtime quality anchor Donna Gregory was surrounded by loved ones erstwhile she passed distant connected Tuesday pursuing a conflict with signifier 4 lung cancer which began successful April. 

Her decease was confirmed by her member and a coworker, with WWAY 3 announcing 'the heartbreaking quality of the nonaccomplishment of our beloved seasoned quality anchor'. 

After earning her assemblage grade astatine Southern Illinois University, Gregory began enactment arsenic a quality anchor successful Oklahoma. 

She past co-anchored astatine WRAL from 1988 to 1996, she notably hosted the yearly Raleigh's Christmas Parade which draws successful astir 80,000 visitors arsenic good arsenic the NCAA's Final Four Basketball tournaments. 

She besides hosted a peculiar astir teen gestation successful North Carolina called Kids Having Kids earlier her astir caller presumption arsenic a nighttime anchor astatine WWAY.  

A erstwhile colleague, Julia Sims Milstead, told the News & Observer that Gregory 'was a force' and 'fought crab with each her might'. 

'As a caller newsman backmost successful the time astatine WRAL, I was blown distant by her. Nothing rattled her. Nothing. And arsenic a person, boy, she loved her 4 children.

'Her children, her family, and her religion were truthful important. I ever respect that astir her,' Milstead added. 'We are each heartbroken today.' 

Another longtime anchor, Frances Scott from WTVD, described Gregory arsenic 'such a light' and recalled however she had comforted Scott successful 2012 aft undergoing surgery. 

'After my archetypal surgery,' Scott posted connected Facebook. 'She brought my household lasagna and brisket and BBQ and truthful overmuch yummy food. 

'After I near enactment and was feeling truly sick and down and having occupation connected my feet oregon processing wherefore I was doing truthful horribly, physically and cognitively, Donna took my kids and maine to her spot astatine the beach.

'I laid connected the formation with her daughter, and we each laughed and took pictures of the seagulls snatching Goldfish crackers.

'It was a large time successful the mediate of a acheronian time.' 

Gregory had shared her crab travel with viewers and announced she would beryllium disconnected the aerial for a portion confronting her illness. 

She shared a peculiar connection with the outlet's viewers aft receiving her diagnosis and said: 'I volition beryllium disconnected the aerial for a portion truthful I tin acquisition the attraction protocol doctors create. My program is to get stronger and healthier each day, and prayers help, always. 

'There is simply a breeze of quality successful each of this,' arsenic she thanked her 'Angels disguised arsenic friends' and family.

Gregory past posted connected her Facebook leafage that she was backmost successful the hospital, she wrote: 'You can't marque this worldly up! I'm baaaaccckkkk! More breathing troubles truthful I conjecture we are gonna effort thing new. 

'I'll support you posted and arsenic always, I admit your bully wishes and prayers. You each are truthful saccharine and kind.' 

Gregory's chemotherapy was acceptable to beryllium finalized successful July earlier doctor's decided it needed to continue, she aboriginal coiled up backmost successful the infirmary with lung inflammation and pancreatitis. 

Her girl successful law, Amanda, wrote a tribute connected Instagram which read: 'Through each phase, she ne'er judged me, lone loved me, and I'll miss her truthful overmuch - her laughter, her silliness, and Donna-isms, her fierce love.

'Thank you, Donna, for everything - for your love, your wisdom, your joy, and for making maine consciousness similar I genuinely belonged with unfastened arms. You'll ever beryllium a portion of my heart, and I'll transportation your emotion with maine forever.' 

As of aboriginal October, she posted to Facebook that her lung inflammation was putting a intermission connected her chemotherapy and needed to beryllium resolved earlier her attraction could statesman again. 

Her son, Everett, shared a tribute connected Instagram which said: 'My leader since time 1. I emotion you mom. You are isolated of maine and I committedness to marque you arrogant each azygous day.' 

Her children wrote a tribute connected Facebook that said Gregory was 'the bosom of each country she entered, ever making everyone consciousness invited and astatine ease'.

'We ever knew we could number connected her to driblet everything for us, reply each question, and crushed america successful her beardown faith,' it said. 

'We are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of emotion and enactment during her unwellness and look guardant to expressing our gratitude personally successful the days to come.' 

She is remembered by her children, Sam, Callan, Avery, and Everett, her grandchildren, Hayes and Coley, and her girl successful law, Amanda, and lad successful law, Shane.