US News Anchor Finishes Last Assignment Of Day, Then Dies Of Heart Attack

Celeste Wilson, a Mississippi news anchor, has died at the age of 42 after suffering from a heart attack. She had joined WAPT, an ABC affiliate, as a weekend news anchor not too long ago.

"Though Celeste had only been with us a short time, we were already touched by her professionalism, warmth, and dedication to the work of journalism," the TV station said in a statement, adding, "All of us here at 16 WAPT are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and our thoughts are with Celeste's family and friends."

Wilson appeared in good health on her final news segment, which aired on August 25 on 16 WAPT's YouTube channel. She interviewed Mississippi US Representative Bennie Thompson about President Donald Trump's proposal to deploy National Guard troops into Washington, DC, and possibly other states.

The National Association of Black Journalists expressed grief at the death of Wilson on its social media platform X. 

"NABJ mourns the loss of Dorothea Celeste Wilson. Her colleagues at WAPT in Jackson, Miss. say she recently joined the news team as a weekend anchor and unexpectedly passed away. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers," it wrote.

NABJ mourns the loss of Dorothea Celeste Wilson. Her colleagues at WAPT in Jackson, Miss. say she recently joined the news team as a weekend anchor and unexpectedly passed away. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers. pic.twitter.com/iDHnLEzLym

— #NABJ Headquarters ✊????????️????️???? ???? ???? ???? ???? (@NABJ) August 28, 2025

WLBT3 meteorologist Chase Franks also paid tribute to Wilson. 

"My thoughts are with her family, friends, and the WAPT family. A newsroom is a close-knit community, and I know this loss is deeply felt. My thoughts are with all who knew her," he wrote on his Facebook account.

Peter Keith, president and general manager of 16 WAPT, said of Wilson, "I can tell you she was an absolute joy to be around, a consummate professional with a smile that would light up a room. We are grateful for the time we shared, the example she set, and the light she left behind".

A New Orleans native, Wilson graduated from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, before pursuing a master's degree in journalism from Arizona State University. She began her broadcasting career at the CBS affiliate in Monroe, Louisiana, and went on to work at several local stations, according to her bio.

Wilson also served as one of two state hosts of a weekly program on a PBS network. She recently moved to Jackson and was looking forward to telling Mississippi's stories through her work.