“A difficult and sad day.” That’s how Crystal Ayala, a news anchor and investigative reporter at the Telemundo owned-and-operated TV station in Houston, described Sunday, October 30.
The night before, her boss had lost his battle with cancer and left this world. Now, colleagues and television industry brethren from across the U.S. are remembering Jerry Vasquez.
Sharing the news early Sunday via her official Facebook page, Ayala said of Vasquez, “He was someone who saw in me, as he did in so many of my colleagues, a special light, so I would have no hesitation in furthering my career at Telemundo Houston. I had the fortune of gaining his confidence and the blessing of working at his side, and learning from him — and growing up with him for the last eight years. He was a boss always looking out for the best interest of my two children, and this was I will value the most.”
Vasquez held the role of VP of News at KTMD-47. From 2001-2014, he had oversight of the 5pm, 6pm and 10pm newscasts at ABC-owned KTRK-13 in Houston, serving as Executive Producer. Speaking with local media observer and blogger Mike McGuff, former KTRK Assistant News Director Don Kobos said, “Jerry was was one of the best newsmen I ever worked with. He not only understood the English newscape but he was a top flight Spanish speaking newsman. He will be missed. Prayers to his family. He was a wonderful friend.”
Before joining KTRK, Vasquez served as News Director of KMID-TV in Midland-Odessa, Tex. He has also been an assignments manager for the former KMOL-4 in San Antonio, and before that was Assistant News Director/Assignments for Telemundo’s KVDA-TV in San Antonio KVDA, from 1989 to 1993.
