Longtime Baton Rouge news anchor, Donna Britt has passed away after her battle with ALS.

Britt retired in 2018 after an incredible 37 year career at WAFB. Her retirement came roughly a year after she was diagnosed with ALS.

Mark Ballard, Britt's husband, made the announcement earlier this morning (01/21/21) saying she “died peacefully this morning at home with family around her.”

To say Britt's career in broadcasting was a storied one would be an understatement. She began her career in radio as the first female DJ on WYNK, and then in 1981 she began her almost four-decade long career at WAFB in Baton Rouge.

In the world of broadcasting, working for the same company for 37 years is virtually unheard of. It speaks volumes about her talent and trustworthiness as one of Baton Rouge's most beloved anchors.

"In 2016, Britt had began to lose the use of the muscles on top of both of her feet, making it necessary for her to use a cane. Britt continued to work, though she eventually needed a wheelchair to get around and a special addition was added to the news set to allow her to anchor from her wheelchair.

Within months, however, she was unable to continue to deliver the news as ALS was slowly robbing her of the very voice her career depended on.

Britt announced her diagnosis to viewers during WAFB’s 6 p.m. newscast on July 27, 2017."

According to The Advocate, Britt is survived by her husband, son Louis Ballard and daughter and son-in-law Anne and Alec Yonika.

Donna Britt's list of career achievements is truly astounding. She served on countless committees and boards such as the Baranco-Clark YMCA, the Southern University Art Museum, the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater, the Louisiana Association for Arts in Education, the Salvation Army’s Community Board and many others.

You can read much more about Donna Britt over at WAFB.com.

 

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