Emmy Award-winning, NBC journalist, John Noel lost his battle with brain cancer Thursday. The Grenadian native had been fighting the disease for approximately one year and throughout maintained his will to live and work but early that morning news surfaced that he was gone.
“He was a reporter to the end,” Peter Noel, his cousin said. “He never failed to report to work and tried to cover stories whenever he was able.”
The Brooklyn resident first appeared on NY TV February 1998 reporting as a general assignment reporter tasked to cover local and national events.
His knowledge of the city, particular inner-city news and community events quickly distinguished him from others.
Noel, 62, graduated summa cum laude from Brooklyn College and received a master’s degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
He was a veteran of the United States Air Force for four years.
While stationed in Nakhom Phanom, Thailand, he was assigned to the Armed Forces Radio and Television Network as a radio programmer and announcer.
He was the recipient of the New York State Broadcasters Award in 1999 and received the Tenants Council of Brooklyn Award for Excellence in Broadcast Television.
He has also received the Distinguished Record of Achievement as a Broadcast Reporter Award from the city comptroller’s office.
He is survived by his parents John Noel Sr. and wife, one daughter Jesse, brother Randy and sister Camille.
