Carol Silva, one of News 12’s most prominent and popular newscasters, made the announcement in a video posted on Facebook and Instagram.
"Right in the middle of a perfectly good September, I finally saw my doctor about my persistent cough," the 65-year-old Silva wrote. "And then this happened. Stage 4 Cancer."
Silva said the diagnosis came two weeks ago. She has since had surgery and started medical treatments.
"I have all the confidence in the world because we are so lucky to live (near) the best doctors in the world," Silva said.
Silva tweeted on Thursday, June 6 that she will be retiring in December after more than 30 years with News 12.
“First I handed out the tissues. Then came the #MaryTylerMooreHug after I announced I'll be moving away from the @News12LI anchor desk in Dec @elizabethnews12 @elisadestefanoTV @news12li @hoffmanrich Longtime News 12 anchor Carol Silva announces retirement,” Silva posted on Twitter.
A Long Island native raised in Hicksville who now lives in Oyster Bay, Silva has been a staple since she took over as an anchor in 1987. News 12 launched in 1986.
Silva, a Holy Trinity High School graduate who attended Nassau Community College and the New York Institute of Technology, has been a fixture in Long Island for decades, anchoring Long Island radio newsrooms at WGBB, WLIR, and WGSM, and in New York City at WNBC, WOR, WKTU Radio, the RKO Radio Network and WNET-PBS Television before making her way to the anchor’s desk.
In her career, Silva has won three Emmy Awards and dozens of New York State Associated Press, Press Club, Regional CableAce, Long Island Coalition for Fair Broadcasting and other journalism awards, per her News 12 bio.
Other distinctions include being named a "Woman of Distinction" by the New York State Senate and a “Top 50 Woman on Long Island” by the Long Island Business News. She’s also received the TRISCORT Award from the Catholic Archdiocese of New York.
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