‘CNN’ Anchor Don Lemon Gets Emotional Talking About His Sister’s Death (VIDEO)

Meaghan Darwish February 7, 2018, 5:30 pm

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Earlier this month, CNN Tonight news anchor Don Lemon’s sister, L’Tanya “Leisa” Lemon Grimes, passed away suddenly at the age of 58. Needless to say, the news personality had to take some time off, but he returned to his spot at the desk on Tuesday, February 6.

Lemon took the opportunity to thank those friends and former colleagues who had passed along their condolences. Among them? Wendy Williams, Anderson Cooper, Sean Hannity, Tamron Hall, and more.

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The anchor also thanked his longtime love, Tim Malone, who, he explained, hopped on a plane for Louisiana—where his sister was living—when he learned she had passed.

But it was the anchor’s tearful thanks to Jeff Zucker, the president of CNN, that really fueled the waterworks. Lemon said that Zucker wouldn’t leave his office until he left for the airport.

Below, see the full monologue from Don Lemon’s first newscast since Leisa’s passing.

Don Lemon returns to CNN after his sister’s death: “It’s important for all Americans to know that something like this — when it happens, it tends to bring out the best in people” https://t.co/7xVnhRn29J https://t.co/IQbN7A6d8b

— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) February 7, 2018

Of the loss, Lemon said, “There’s so much conflict happening right now, I think it’s important for all Americans to know that when something like this happens, it tends to bring out the best in people. Some of my competitors, people I have raging arguments with on television — you think we hate each other, but we don’t.”