Elizabeth Brackett, veteran Chicago journalist, dies at age 76
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Elizabeth Brackett, a longtime Chicago journalist and broadcaster, died days after she sustained a serious injury and was in a coma due to a bike accident along Chicago's lakefront, WTTW said on Sunday.
Brackett, an award-winning journalist and occasional contributor to WTTW's "Chicago Tonight," was 76.
Her funeral will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday at Kenilworth Union Church, 211 Kenilworth Ave. in Kenilworth, Ill.
WTTW reported that Brackett was injured Wednesday as she biked near 39th Street along the Lakefront Trail. She was found unconscious and taken to Stroger Hospital with two fractured vertebrae in her neck.
Brackett is an accomplished triathlete who won five international titles in her age group, including one last year. WTTW reported that she was training for another triathlon when the accident occurred.
Brackett, who was a reporter for ABC7 Eyewitness News in the 1980s, retired in 2014 after 20 years as a correspondent for "Chicago Tonight." She remained an occasional contributor, focusing primarily on environmental issues.
Retired ABC7 reporter Paul Meincke profiled her in recent years, including in 2010, just before she went overseas to compete in the World Triathlon Competition and defend her world title.
"All of us at WTTW are devastated by the news of Elizabeth's death," said Mary Field, executive producer of "Chicago Tonight." "She is a friend and beloved colleague, and her loss will be felt not only here but in Chicago's journalism community, of which she was a highly respected member, and among her many friends and competitors in the athletic world."
"Elizabeth left an indelible mark on Chicago Tonight, and we are grateful not only for the opportunity to have worked with her, but to have known her as a person of intelligence and integrity," said Dan Soles, WTTW's chief television content officer, who oversees local production. "Our deepest condolences to her family and friends at this sad and difficult time."
