‘Beloved’ Pennsylvania news anchor Emily Matson passed away at age 42; ‘A Shining Light’ The native of Erie, Pennsylvania, graduated from La Roche University in Pittsburgh in 2004 and then joined NBC station WICU-TV. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in media technology and communications.
Emily Matson Cause of Death
Emily Matson, a renowned “Erie News Now” anchor, was killed in what is believed to have been a suicide after being struck by a train in Fairview Township, Pennsylvania, on Monday morning.
The Erie Times-News reported that the 42-year-old newscaster was hit near her house just before 1 a.m., citing the Erie County Coroner’s Office. On Friday, Matson aired his final program.
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Until recently, she was the host of “Erie News Now” at 7 and 11 p.m., a position she held for nearly 20 years. Scott MacDowell, the network’s news director, confirmed the news with a “heavy heart” that the long-time host had left.
“Emily was a shining light in our newsroom, delivering news with a passion and love she had for the Erie community and Northwest Pennsylvania,” he said in a statement.
The Erie News Now anchor, who was wed to policeman Ryan Onderko, was last seen on screen on Friday. The station revealed her untimely death on Monday.
‘It is with a weighty heart that we have learned of the passing of our beloved Erie News Now news anchor Emily Matson,’ said Scott MacDowell, Erie News Now’s news director. “Emily was a bright light in our newsroom, bringing news to the community with a love and passion for Northwest Pennsylvania and Erie.”
Since her passing, glowing tributes to the well-known news anchor have been pouring in, with numerous coworkers expressing their shock at the news.
‘Emily was such a presence in the newsroom and the studio, and I can’t count the number of times that I would stop by her desk to talk to her or just listen to her talk to others,’ wrote meteorologist Sara Tonks.
Prior to her passing, Matson had spent 19 years as an employee of Erie News Now. Her most recent role was anchoring the weekday newscasts between 7 and 11 p.m. Another former coworker, Katie McGraw, called her passing an “incredible loss.” ‘I am heartbroken and truly gutted to share the news of my friend and former coworker’s passing,’ she wrote.
“We loved Emily dearly, and our hearts go out to the Matson family and her husband Ryan at this time,” the statement concluded.
Since then, Matson’s coworkers—including Jamison Hixenbaugh of Erie News Now, who had an intermittent working relationship with Matson for the previous fifteen years—have been memorializing their late friend and coworker on social media, expressing their profound loss.
In an emotional Facebook post, Hixenbaugh said that there were “no words” to express her sadness adequately and described Matson’s demise as “utterly devastating.”
“She was one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met,” he wrote. “She was such a talented journalist and anchor, but even more, she was an incredible friend. From being side-splittingly funny and fiesty to thoughtful and caring…I’m going to miss you, Em.”
