Journalism and COVID-19: Remembering Larry Edgeworth

This journalist profile is part of Journalism and COVID-19: The Toll of a Pandemic, PEN America’s project covering the toll of the coronavirus crisis on the journalism industry in the United States. Our hearts go out to the family members and friends of the journalists lost during the pandemic.

Photo from Savannah Guthrie/Instagram

Name: Larry Edgeworth
Age: 61
Died: March 19, 2020
Location: New York, NY
Work History:¹Erik Ortiz, “NBC News employee dies after testing positive for coronavirus” NBC News, March 20, 2020.

• Audio Technician, NBC News

Selected Remembrances:
“Larry Edgeworth ‘was the guy you wanted by your side no matter where you were’ and I’m truly honored to have had him by my side on many assignments at @NBCNews. He was my weekly check-in partner. Family.”
—Shannon Clash, Communications Specialist, American Hospital Association [Twitter]

“He was truly one of the nicest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Through the coldest snowstorm, he always had a smile on his face.”
—Dylan Dreyer, Weather Anchor, NBC News [Instagram]

“For more than 25 years, Larry Edgeworth was a beloved audio technician here at NBC. Larry traveled the world with his gear, making sure all of you could hear clearly the sounds of war, of natural disasters, of political conventions, of Olympic Games, of people telling their stories—in times of joy and tragedy. Along with his microphones and mixer, Larry always brought to the job a warm smile, a memorable laugh, a big hug, and a question about your family—which usually included the names of your kids. He was a great sound man, but so much more.”
—Willie Geist, co-anchor of MSNBC’s Morning Joe and anchor of Sunday Today with Willie Geist [TODAY]

“I adored Larry. We traveled together for two straight months on a campaign in 2008 and he was always the most warm, most professional, most loving. All hours of the day and night, no matter how hungry or tired or stressed we were – he was always a joy. He loved his work and excelled at it. He loved his colleagues and boy did we love him.”
—Savannah Guthrie, Co-Anchor, TODAY [Instagram]

“Larry was the kind of guy you always wanted with you on tough assignments. An incredible journalist and an even kinder man. No nonsense.”
—Gabe Gutierrez, Correspondent, NBC News [Twitter]

“To merely call Larry Edgeworth a colleague would rob him of his greatest contributions to the @nbcnews journalists who have known and loved him for decades… teacher, cheerleader, friend, confidante, mentor suit him so much better.”
—Naomi Karam, Professional Content Acquisition, TMX [Instagram]

“He was a longtime techn[ician] at NBC. When I was a new correspondent in the field, Larry looked out for me like an uncle would. He cared about me, my family, and I will miss him.”
—Craig Melvin, news anchor on TODAY and anchor on MSNBC [Twitter]

“Larry was a gentle bear of a man, the heart and soul of our extended NBC family. I was always cheered and reassured knowing he was on the team in the field. He always had my back whether here in the U.S. or in the most dangerous situations around the world.”
—Andrew Mitchell, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, NBC News [NBC News]

“Larry Edgeworth was a giant both physically and emotionally. You were always in good hands when he was on your crew.”
—Al Roker, Cohost, TODAY and 3rd Hour of Today [Twitter]

“Larry Edgeworth was a field audio tech around here, which means he was the guy with the 20-pound sound pack around his waist, mic-ing us up so you guys could hear everything that we were saying. In my eight years at MSNBC and NBC, I think I worked with Larry more than any other crew guy, and when you’re living on the road—as we so often were—your coworkers become family. Larry was my family, was my big brother—though he’d probably laugh at me for saying that. ‘I’m old enough to be your dad, kid.’ . . . Larry was gruff, but never stingy with a smile. He was a big bear of a man with a big bear of a heart.”
—Katy Tur, Correspondent, NBC News [MSNBC]