Atlanta News Anchor Jovita Moore Passes Away at 54 After Battle With Incurable Brain Cancer

Photo credit: Paras Griffin - Getty Images
Photo credit: Paras Griffin - Getty Images
  • Jovita Moore, a prominent Atlanta news anchor, has died from incurable brain cancer. She was 54.

  • Moore was diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer, in April after experiencing an “unusual headache.”

  • She is survived by her three children and mother.


Beloved Atlanta news anchor Jovita Moore passed away last night a few months after receiving a diagnosis for an incurable type of brain cancer. She was 54.

In April, Moore reported experiencing an “unusual headache,” which led doctors to find and attempt to remove two masses on her brain. Soon after, she learned she had glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that can’t be cured with surgery, Moore’s neurosurgeon, Edjah Nduom, M.D., told her station, WSB-TV, in August, when she announced her diagnosis to the world. Dr. Nduom also explained that because the tumors have tentacles that penetrate the brain and couldn't be seen with microscopes or removed, the cancer could only be slowed by radiation.

Moore’s impressive career included stints in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Arkansas before she settled in Atlanta in 1998, per WSB-TV. Over the ensuing two decades, the native New Yorker became an audience favorite and was honored with prestigious awards, including accolades from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the National Association of Black Journalists. Moore also racked up several Emmy Awards during her time in Georgia.

But her career wasn't her only source of pride: On top of representing her community as a reporter, Moore was a mom to three children, Lauren, Shelby, and Joshua, and volunteered at a local nonprofit that supports homeless kids.

After undergoing surgery, Moore spoke to her station about her symptoms, stating that she was suddenly “forgetful, disoriented, and just not feeling myself,” and was “feeling like I was in a fog and really wanting to get out of that fog.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, glioblastoma is an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord, and forms from cells called astrocytes that support nerve cells. It can cause worsening headaches (like Moore experienced), nausea, vomiting, and seizures.

In an audio statement released by WSB-TV at the time, Moore urged others to keep track of their health. “This journey for me started with an unusual headache, so if something’s not right with you,” she said, “I urge you to please get yourself checked.”

Tributes to Moore are now pouring in. “We know you fought with all you had!” Tyler Perry tweeted. “I will miss your beautiful smile and warm laughter, let alone seeing you in my living room every day. You will be missed greatly, my friend. Many heartfelt prayers to your family. May your soul travel well! Life is but a moment.”

“I will miss you, Jovita,” wrote Bernice King. “Rest, sister.”

“Jovita was a wonderful mother, daughter, and dear friend to many,” tweeted Atlanta mayor Keisha Bottoms. “Even those who did not know her personally felt a deep and personal connection to Jovita. She loved Atlanta dearly.”

Moore is survived by her three children and her mother. To honor her memory, WSB-TV recommends donating to Our House Atlanta and National Brain Tumor Society, “two organizations that are very important to her.”

Our thoughts are with Moore's family and loved ones during this trying time.

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