Tom Overlie wishes viewers farewell in his last broadcast after 24 years
Mar. 28—ROCHESTER — In the final moments of Thursday night's broadcast on KTTC-TV, Tom Overlie signed off with his usual "thank you for joining us tonight." But he also included a special thank you to the viewers and his KTTC family for the joy, honor and privilege of working at the station for 24 years.
After sharing the news as an evening anchor for the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. broadcasts since summer 2000, Overlie is stepping back to spend time with his family. Brock Bergey, who joined KTTC in 2023, will co-anchor the newscasts with Caitlin Alexander following Overlie's departure.
"KTTC is my home," Overlie shared on the air on Thursday, March 28. "It's just farewell for now. I'm going to take a break and as many of you know help my mom and dad. My mom has had dementia and so we're just going to focus on some family needs. It has been an honor and a great kick working with all of you."
Overlie shared his last stories on
Rochester Public Schools' graduation rates
and how the Timberwolves and Lynx teams are not for sale — between remarks on Lake City's sports teams and jokes with chief meteorologist Nick Jansen. From a "space of gratitude," he also remembered the late sports director Pat Lund as well as thanked the past and current leadership of KTTC.
Through his years at KTTC, he reported on topics including 9/11, mudslides on U.S. Highway 61 and election debates, as highlighted in a special segment honoring Overlie's time at KTTC. He also interviewed leaders such as former Gov. Jesse Ventura, Gov. Tim Walz and former President Donald Trump. He enjoyed interviewing community members as well as participating in promotional videos.
"This newscast is a difficult one for all of us at KTTC but it's also one of gratitude," Alexander said. "Tom Overlie has dedicated the past 24 years of his life to keeping all of us informed and safe, even making us laugh."
Overlie fell in love with journalism through his parents' local newspapers and a magazine, which they published for over three decades, according to his bio on the KTTC website. He plans to partner with KTTC on special projects and continue his work with area nonprofits. He
also writes young adult books,
as he shared with Rochester Magazine in 2017.
As a longtime host of the annual Eagles Cancer Telethon, which
celebrated 70 years in January,
Overlie accepted the station's Service to America award from the National Association of Broadcasters in 2023. The telethon has raised over $20 million for cancer research since its start in the 1950s.
"I just hope that in my small way, I can create ripples that benefit other people, that change the lives for the good of other people," Overlie said. "I think that perhaps is my motto each day, it's what I hold true to. Am I doing my very best that perhaps will make a difference in the lives of others? And if I can at the end of the day know that I created a very small ripple, it's been a good day."
Through emails, phone calls to the newsroom, and social media comments and posts, Overlie received praise for his care and professionalism, his dedication to the community and being a "treasured family member" on the screen.
"Wishing you all the Best Tom," viewer Becky Kreidermacher commented on Facebook, "thanks for all those years of great broadcasting keeping us updated on all the latest news so professionally and on a friendly note always with a concerned and caring touch, such a good role model a inspiration to this community."
