Veteran ABC News journalist Jim Avila dies at 69 after lengthy illness
Veteran ABC News journalist Jim Avila has passed away at the age of 69.
Diane Macedo, an anchor for ABC News Live, shared the somber announcement of the television reporter's demise on Thursday, November 13, stating he “succumbed to a lengthy illness.” Macedo, aged 43, refrained from disclosing additional specifics concerning Avila's passing.
“For close to two decades, Jim served as an L.A.-based correspondent, focusing on politics, legal affairs, and consumer protection inquiries,” she elaborated on Avila's tenure at the network. “His career also included a period at the White House, where he first reported on the normalization of diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Cuba. This particular scoop garnered him the esteemed Merriman Award from the White House Correspondents Association.”
Avila received the Merriman Award in 2015 for his coverage of American contractor Alan Gross's release by the Cuban government, following his five-year imprisonment.
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“Whether delivering concise, urgent morning reports packed with information, or conducting casual evening interviews with the public, Avila consistently delivered comprehensive stories, always against demanding deadlines,” the WHCA stated in an earlier declaration. “Such distinguished presidential news coverage, performed under intense time constraints, is precisely what the Merriman Smith Award aims to recognize.”
Before his departure from the network in 2021, Avila also served as a correspondent for 20/20.
Macedo further remarked about her erstwhile colleague, “Upon his exit from ABC News, Jim transitioned to the ABC affiliate in San Diego, taking on the role of senior investigative reporter, where he meticulously and impartially covered a diverse array of topics.”
The anchor additionally praised Avila's “bravery” following his successful “kidney transplant, generously donated by his brother.”
Almin Karamehmedovic, President of ABC News, also issued a statement regarding Avila's passing.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to his family, including his three children, Jamie, Jenny, and Evan, and we express gratitude for his numerous contributions and steadfast dedication to uncovering the truth,” the statement conveyed.
Furthermore, in an internal email to employees, Karamehmedovic described Avila as “a talented reporter and a supportive coworker,” as reported by ABC News. Even following the onset of his health challenges, Avila “persisted in his journalistic endeavors via opinion pieces and regional reporting, utilizing his expertise and profound inquisitiveness to narrate compelling stories for his community and audience,” Karamehmedovic observed.
Before joining ABC, Avila served as a correspondent for NBC News, addressing “various national topics such as the September 11 attacks and their repercussions, along with the DC sniper incidents,” states his biography. “His reporting also took him to Afghanistan and Iraq, where he notably reported from within NBC's hotel complex in Baghdad during and after its targeting by terrorists.”
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From 1994 to 1996, he also held positions as an anchor and investigative reporter for KNBC in Los Angeles. His reporting on the O.J. Simpson murder trial earned the station both the 1995 Golden Mike Award and a 1996 Emmy Award.
Avila's career was marked by numerous other accolades, including two more Emmy Awards: one for his reporting on “the devastation of Grand Forks, North Dakota due to flood and fire,” and another for his account of “the plight of undocumented laborers during the Southern California wildfires in 2008.”
His honors also comprised five Edward R. Murrow Awards, the Cine Golden Eagle Award, the Mongerson Prize for Investigative Reporting, and five Chicago-area Emmy Awards specifically in the Spot News category.
