Longtime ABC11 reporter will retire this year, ready for a new ‘big adventure’
Longtime WTVD reporter Ed Crump is retiring.
After 43 years in journalism — 37 of those at the Disney-owned-and-operated ABC11 — Crump said on his ABC11 Facebook page on Tuesday that it’s time to start a new “big adventure.”
Crump, who is 64, said wanting to spend extended time with his daughter, who is visiting from Spain, is one reason for his retirement decision now. He also said that working from home during the pandemic and his 2018 diagnosis of smoldering myeloma, a precancerous condition that can lead to multiple myeloma, were also factors.
“Those two things in particular have made me hyper aware of the value of life and loved ones,” Crump wrote.
“The past 18 months — spent mostly alone with my college sweetheart and wonderful wife of 42 years — also made me realize that I am ready to spend the rest of my life with her unencumbered by employment.”
In an interview with The News & Observer on Tuesday, Crump said his myeloma diagnosis made it necessary to work from home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent delta variant surges, and that facing his mortality also made him even more eager to start his retirement.
His pre-stage myeloma condition is monitored quarterly, so that doctors can know quickly if his cancer moves to Stage 1. His mother previously died from multiple myeloma, so he is vigilant about protecting his health and staying on top of the progress of the disease.
In his Facebook post, Crump thanked viewers for their support over the years.
“Y’all and other residents of the Heart of Carolina ... are among the most kind and generous people in the world,” Crump wrote.
He also urged people to get vaccinated, saying “retirement will be much more enjoyable when we are able to travel and otherwise move about freely by putting an end to this pandemic.”
Crump’s last day at the station will be this Friday, Sept. 10.
This story was originally published September 7, 2021 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Longtime ABC11 reporter will retire this year, ready for a new ‘big adventure’."
