Adam Ward's Fiancée Saw Shooting From WDBJ7 Control Room; Alison Parker's Family Speaks Out

Cameraman, 27, and reporter, 24, both lost their lives in senseless act of violence

By Rebecca Macatee Aug 26, 2015 9:06 PMTags
Alison Parker, Adam Ward, WDBJ7, TwitterTwitter

The tragic, on-air shooting during WDBJ7's live broadcast Wednesday morning was horrific for anyone who saw it—but it's inconceivable how awful it must have been for Adam Ward's fiancée.

Melissa Ott, a WDBJ7 morning producer, witnessed the unthinkable happen from the station control room: She saw the fatal shots fired, broadcast from the camera of Ward, her husband-to-be. Jeffrey Marks, WDBJ7's general manager, told CNN that Wednesday was supposed to be Melissa's last day at the Virginia station.

"She was moving on to a station in Charlotte after this," he said. "So it was going to be a day of celebration of her time here [at WDBJ7] and wishing her good luck." Marks confirmed, too, that "the plan" was for Adam to move with his fiancée.

Adam's colleague, reporter Alison Parker, who also lost her life to this act of senseless violence, was romantically involved with a co-worker as well. Chris Hurst, an anchor for WDBJ7's evening programming, was "very much in love" with Alison, he tweeted. He expressed his heartbreak, calling his girlfriend of nine months "the most radiant woman I ever met."

Both Adam and WDBJ7 pointed out how much both Adam and Alison loved their families and will be missed. Alison's father issued the following statement (as excerpted by NBC News' Peter Alexander):

"Barbara, Drew and I are numb, devastated and I find my grief unbearable. Alison was our bright, shining light and it was cruelly extinguished by yet another crazy person with a gun. She excelled at everything she did and was loved by everyone she touched. She loved us dearly, and we talked to her every single day. Not hearing her voice again crushes my soul. Our family can  take solace in the fact that although her life was brief, she was so happy with it. She lived it to the fullest and her spirit will always be with us."

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of Alison and Adam's loved ones and the extended WDBJ7 family.

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