Aaron Brown, Legendary CNN Anchor Renowned for His 9/11 Coverage, Dies at 76

Former CNN anchor Aaron Brown has died, his family announced on Dec. 29. He was 76.

The journalist was known for covering the September 11 attacks, which gained him acclaim and a reputation as a trusted source of reporting. He was also the anchor of NewsNight — a CNN evening news program that meshed breaking news stories with thorough analysis — from 2001 to 2005, where he played a "pivotal role in shaping the network's evening news format," CNN wrote.

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001 was Brown's first CNN appearance. He was quickly thrust into the necessity of breaking news, and his coverage that day included 17 hours of live reporting.

His ongoing efforts to keep the public informed during the country's darkest hour made him a trusted figure, said John Vause, who also reported for CNN on 9/11.

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“When he was live on air, he just stopped and looked at it. And paused. And he shared this moment that everybody was thinking, ‘Good Lord. There are no words,’ ” Vause said, recalling Brown's honesty on air as the South Tower fell.

Brown later earned the Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting on Sept. 11.

When Brown went to Washington, D.C. the next week, he entered a hotel where he was instantly recognized. Everyone present stood and applauded Brown, Vause said. Though his job as an anchor and on-screen journalist attracted fame, Vause said "he didn't like being in the spotlight outside of his office hours."

Jon Auerbach, a former CNN producer who worked with Brown, commended the former anchor for his ability to prioritize being "a writer and craftsman" before all else. He also understood the importance of balancing professional and personal interests, long before it was a mainstream discussion, Auerbach said.

“He had a biting sense of humor, and in the days before people spoke of a work-life balance, Aaron knew its value," Auerbach said of Brown. "Anchoring a program at 10 p.m. can be brutal, but Aaron was able to make time for what was important to him outside the studio, whether it be his wife and daughter or a round of golf.”

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Amanda Turnbull, another former CNN producer, recalled Brown telling his team to be "prepared to fail if we wanted to be great," she said.

"His storytelling was driven by the facts, but his delivery was always deeply human," she said.

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