Celeste Wilson, a Mississippi TV news anchor who had just started a new job, died suddenly of a heart attack at 42, according to NBC’s “Today” show.
“We have some very sad news tonight about one of our own,” WAPT anchor Troy Johnson said on the air this week, Fox News reported.
“Our colleague Celeste Wilson, who recently joined 16 WAPT as our weekend anchor, died from a heart attack,” co-anchor Megan West said. “Celeste had only been with us here at 16 WAPT for a short time, but we were already touched by her professionalism, her warmth and her dedication to the work of journalism.”
Peter Keith, WAPT president and general manager, remembered Wilson as someone who made an immediate mark.
“I can tell you she was an absolute joy to be around — a consummate professional with a smile that would light up a room,” Keith said Friday. “In our newsroom, she brought warmth and high standards, elevating not just stories but also the people around her. She believed journalism is service — showing up, asking fair questions, and giving voice to those too often unheard. We are grateful for the time we shared, the example she set, and the light she left behind.”
West also paid tribute to her late colleague online, sharing a video of Wilson smiling through an interview at the Girl Scouts of Mississippi Women of Distinction Induction breakfast last week. She called Wilson a “lovely” person.
“It is such a shock, and our hearts are broken for her family,” West wrote. “I treasure the memory of this last, sweet conversation.”
Wilson appeared in good health on her final news segment, which aired August 25 on WAPT’s YouTube channel. She interviewed Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson about President Donald Trump’s proposal to deploy National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., and possibly other states.
The National Association of Black Journalists said it was “grieved” by Wilson’s death. “NABJ mourns the loss of Dorothea Celeste Wilson. Her colleagues at WAPT in Jackson, Miss. say she recently joined the news team as a weekend anchor and unexpectedly passed away. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers,” the group wrote on X.
WLBT3 meteorologist Chase Franks also posted condolences. “My thoughts are with her family, friends, and the WAPT family. A newsroom is a close-knit community, and I know this loss is deeply felt. My thoughts are with all who knew her,” he wrote.
Wilson began her career at a CBS affiliate in Monroe, Louisiana, before eventually arriving at the Jackson, Mississippi, ABC affiliate.
A Louisiana native, she graduated from Northwestern State University before earning a master’s degree at Arizona State University, according to her anchor profile, which remains on WAPT’s website.
“While she has held various roles throughout her professional career, her passion for journalism and storytelling drove her to pursue a path in Broadcast Journalism,” the profile said.
Before joining WAPT, she worked at several other stations, including PBS.
“With a strong commitment to faith, family, community, and deep Mississippi ties, Celeste is excited to explore Jackson and share Mississippi’s stories,” the profile concluded.
The station added, “All of us here at 16 WAPT are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and our thoughts are with Celeste’s family and friends.”
