Ruschell Boone was a Jamaican-American award-winning reporter, anchor, and talk show host for the New York City TV station NY1. She died on Sunday, September 3, 2023, at the age of 48, after battling pancreatic cancer for a year. Before joining NY1, she worked for CNBC as a news associate, and CNN as an associate producer and assignment editor.
Boone made a name for herself by covering many big news stories, including the 2016 bombing in Manhattan, the 2016 presidential election, and the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square. She is survived by her husband, Todd Boone, and two sons.
Ruschell Boone Was Born In Jamaica, But Relocated To The US In The Mid-1980s
Ruschell (née West) Boone was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1975, to Faithlyn Scott and Duke Scott. She moved to the Bronx, New York with her family when she was 11 years old in 1986. She attended Baruch College and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting but discovered her passion for journalism in her senior year.
Boone started her career as a business news associate for CNBC and then as an associate producer and assignment editor for CNN. She joined NY1, a cable television news station in New York City, in 2002 as a Queens reporter.
At the height of her career, the Jamaican-born American reporter covered many breaking stories, such as the 2016 bombing in Manhattan, the 2016 presidential election, and the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square. She also hosted talk shows and produced a series called New York: Unfiltered.
In the course of her work, she won the hearts of many with her beautiful smile, endearing spirit, and dedication to her job. This explains why she won several awards, including a New York Emmy Award, a New York Press Club Award, and a New York Association of Black Journalists Award. She was also named one of the most influential leaders in Queens by City & State magazine.
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Boone Battled Pancreatic Cancer For A Year Before She Passed Away
Ruschell Boone was busy with work and doing great but all that changed in June 2022 when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, after experiencing abdominal pain and weight loss. She underwent a series of chemotherapy treatments to try and shrink the tumor and stop its spread.
Boone took a medical leave from work to focus on her health and recovery. She shared her journey with her colleagues, friends, and followers on social media, asking for prayers and support.
In March 2023, she returned to work, resuming her role as a noon anchor at NY1. She said she was feeling better and stronger and was eager to get back to work. She also said she was optimistic about her prognosis and hoped to beat the disease.
The Jamaican-American reporter continued to work until July 2023, when she announced that her cancer had worsened. She said that her cancer had metastasized in her liver, meaning that it had spread from the pancreas to another organ. She mentioned further that she was back in treatment and that the chemotherapy was working, but she also asked for more prayers and encouragement.
She died on September 3, 2023, at the age of 48, surrounded by her loved ones.
On social media, a lot of her coworkers, friends, and fans shared their sorrow and condolences as they remembered her as a respected, honored, and inspiring journalist who changed many lives with her stories and personality. Mayor Eric Adams, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, City Councilman Robert Holden, NY1, and many others have said so many incredible things about her.
She Was Married To Todd Boone For Nearly Two Decades Before Her Death
Before her passing, Ruschell Boone had been married to Todd Boone, a production technician, who works for Fox News as a Technical production manager. They got married on September 24, 2005, at the Ritz-Carlton Golf and Spa Resort in St. James, Jamaica.
She and Todd shared two boys; Jackson, born on August 2, 2011, and Carter, born on November 14, 2013.
Ruschell and Todd met in 2003 at NY1, where they both worked. Years later, her husband worked at Trans Video Communications as a production coordinator, at MSNBC as a Technical Production Manager, at CBS News as a
Tech Manager. He joined Fox News in 2018.
