KABC's Ellen Leyva signs off after 30 years in moving final broadcast: ‘I'm really lucky'
Leyva bid an emotional farewell on Wednesday to the KABC newsroom and the viewers she helped inform and entertain during her send-off. She announced her decision to retire in February, telling the audience at the time, 'I'm ready to make a move on and focus on my next great adventure in life.'
During the broadcast, Leyva became a story subject herself, inspiring a tender segment that walked viewers down the memory lane of her tenure. Her retirement also prompted a sit-down conversation with her longtime co-anchor David Ono. Leyva, an Arizona native, came to the Glendale-based station in 1995 as a health reporter and later joined the anchor desk, moving from morning news to the evening news post, where she remained for 25 years.
'I didn't know what to expect, I just knew that I couldn't believe I was working at KABC,' she recalled to Ono. 'My biggest fear was I would not make it and I wouldn't be good enough to stay on the air.'
Leyva, despite her concerns, managed to do just that and more. Over the years, she has co-hosted Oscars red carpet arrivals, flown with the Blue Angels and provided Angelenos with a steady on-air presence. Earlier this year, Leyva kept viewers informed during the destructive wildfires that ripped through the region, including the Eaton fire. She said Wednesday that she was displaced from her Altadena home during the blaze.
Beyond the desk, Leyva represented the KABC newsroom at several Los Angeles parades, was a team leader for AIDS Walk Los Angeles and advocated for mental health services for underserved communities.
'I'm really lucky,' she said during the segment.
The final moments of Leyva's bow at KABC saw her behind the desk, surrounded by newsroom staff, friends and family who applauded her. 'This place has been the most incredible place to work,' she said. 'I cannot believe my luck to be here for 30 years.'
Leyva turned her attention to her viewers: 'It has been an honor and a privilege to be welcomed into your living rooms every afternoon. You always made me feel like a welcomed guest.'
As she begins her retirement, Leyva said she is looking forward to being on the other side of the screen as a supporter and viewer of KABC. For Leyva, it seems breaking news is not her problem anymore — at least that's according to a cheeky retirement gift candle the anchor posted to Instagram.
Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this report.
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