NBC News Mourns the Sudden Death of Top Editor, Leaves Behind Wife and 3 Kids

Veteran journalist Vaughn Ververs “passed away suddenly” at the age of 54, MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell told her audience Monday. “For almost 13 years, Vaughn helped shape our political coverage as a top digital editor here in our Washington bureau,” Mitchell said. “He was a veteran reporter whose career included POLITICO and CBS News and the National Journal’s Hotline. He was also Deputy Press Secretary for Pat Buchanan’s presidential campaign. “Vaughn pioneered a generation of political journalism and he mentored so many young journalists here. He was a devoted husband and father and loved his University of Colorado Buffaloes. Our hearts are with his wife, Lisa, and their three children. “We all miss him terribly,” she concluded. According to his obituary, Ververs “passed suddenly March 19, 2023.” We and his wife would have celebrated their 30th anniversary later this year. Kirk Bado, editor of “Hotline,” called Ververs a “media pioneer beloved by his colleagues, friends and subjects for his sharp news judgment, skilled editing, and kind leadership.”

“Former Hotline editor Vaughn Ververs, 54, died on Sunday. A longtime fixture of political media, Ververs was a media pioneer beloved by his colleagues, friends, and subjects for his sharp news judgment, skilled editing, and kind leadership,” @kirk_bado writes. pic.twitter.com/PvlPmLkLx6

— National Journal Hotline (@njhotline) March 21, 2023

A number of people on Twitter who said they’d worked with Ververs described him consistently as smart, funny and likable.

I worked with Vaughn Ververs briefly at Politico.

At the time, he was a veteran of DC journalism & I was just getting started, having spent years covering local/state politics & government. He was very generous with his insight & experience. A sweet guy https://t.co/qUeb5yKbaX — Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) March 21, 2023

Such sad news about the death of Vaughn Ververs. I worked with him at Politico and at NBC/CNBC. He was an unfailingly enthusiastic and intelligent presence in my newsrooms, and he is now gone too soon. Thinking of his family today. https://t.co/UTu2ws9FM0

— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) March 21, 2023

Vaughn Ververs was everything you want in an editor. His political BS detector was strong. He was a mentor to a generation of writers. He was smart, funny, and most of all, just a great guy. And he loved his @CUBoulder Buffs. We will all miss him dearly. https://t.co/YP9Ybz06Ce

— Doug Adams (@DougNBC) March 21, 2023

An all-time good person and smart political reporter. “We all miss him terribly”: Andrea Mitchell remembers longtime NBC digital editor Vaughn Ververs https://t.co/P35i0t7G8d via @MSNBC

— Dante Chinni (@Dchinni) March 21, 2023

Vaughn Ververs was everything you want in an editor. His political BS detector was strong. He was a mentor to a generation of writers. He was smart, funny, and most of all, just a great guy. And he loved his @CUBoulder Buffs. We will all miss him dearly. https://t.co/YP9Ybz06Ce

— Doug Adams (@DougNBC) March 21, 2023

No cause of death has been reported. The obituary suggested that those who wished to honor Ververs “please consider contributions in Vaughn’s memory to the American Liver Foundation.” This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.