Dying of Telemundo Tremendous Bowl reporter like ‘shedding my little brother,’ colleague says
The 27-year-old tv reporter from Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, who died whereas in New Orleans to cowl the Tremendous Bowl strived to be one of the best single father he may very well be to his toddler daughter and was deeply obsessed with sports activities and holding his neighborhood knowledgeable, his colleagues instructed NBC Information.
Adan Manzano, an anchor and sports activities reporter for Telemundo Kansas Metropolis, was a dutiful father and rising expertise who got here to the U.S. from Mexico to review and fulfill his dream of sports activities reporting, Ely Martinez, the station’s inventive providers director, instructed NBC Information in Spanish. Manzano was thrilled that he was despatched to New Orleans to cowl his third Tremendous Bowl in a row.
The primary time he coated the Tremendous Bowl, “it was a dream come true” for Manzano, Martinez mentioned, including the younger journalist had been grateful about this third reporting journey for the occasion and what it may imply for his profession.
His demise has been like “shedding my little brother,” for Martinez and others within the newsroom, the place Manzano was a vibrant and beloved presence, Martinez mentioned.
Manzano “was at all times asking, ‘What can I do to be a greater father, to do one of the best I can for her?’” mentioned Martinez, who knew the sports activities reporter for 3 1/2 years. “It was essential to him to be a superb dad.”
After private tragedy, working ‘tougher for his daughter’
Manzano was discovered useless in a resort room in New Orleans final week. Police have since charged a Louisiana girl, Danette Colbert, with fraud and different theft-related crimes in reference to Manzano’s demise.
Greater than three years in the past, a person visiting town accused Colbert of drugging him, robbing his financial savings and leaving him for useless, NBC Information completely reported. She was convicted in October of pc fraud, theft and unlawful transmission of financial funds.
Police in Kenner, Louisiana, have mentioned they’ve uncovered further proof and the case stays ongoing. They haven’t mentioned how Manzano died.
Manzano labored to steadiness his rising profession as a sports activities reporter on the station with being a newly single father: His spouse, second grade instructor Ashleigh Boyd, died in a automobile crash in April in Topeka, Kansas, when their daughter was 1.
The tragic demise of Boyd, who was at all times supportive of Manzano in his profession, left the sports activities reporter “decided to work tougher for his daughter,” based on Martinez.
Samuel Rivera, a reporter with the station and father of three, mentioned Manzano would come to him for recommendation on find out how to develop into one of the best father he may very well be, what one of the simplest ways to coach kids was and the way to ensure they’re profitable sooner or later.
“He talked about and requested a whole lot of questions on issues that fathers at his age don’t at all times ask,” Rivera mentioned.
Rivera mentioned Manzano was “tremendous gifted from the start” and stood out for his deep, well-rounded data throughout sports activities.
Gustavo Jaimes, the station’s information director, mentioned Manzano was a robust reporter and journalist who was “passionate in his work overlaying all sports activities, and it confirmed.”
He at all times did his job “very well,” Jaimes mentioned in Spanish, including that “he was proud to be overlaying such an necessary occasion because the Tremendous Bowl.”
In accordance with Rivera, Manzano was as devoted to overlaying main occasions just like the Tremendous Bowl as he was to overlaying native and faculty sports activities.
Manzano had despatched him a textual content message final week asking for Rivera to “give me a blessing” to cowl the Tremendous Bowl, as Rivera was a way more skilled journalist on the small, tight-knit crew.
“It is going to prove spectacular, my brother,” Rivera wrote again. “You’ve gotten expertise and knowledge to spare. You’re the professional of Kansas.”
