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Inside tragic death of Don Lemon's sister L'Tanya Lemon Grimes that shook ousted CNN anchor

Don Lemon was fired on April 24 after working as a host for 17 years at CNN

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: CNN’s longtime host Don Lemon was fired after 17 years of working with the network. The news came following a string of scandals in recent months, where Lemon said on-air that presidential candidate Nikki Haley, an Indian-American who is the first woman of color to be a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, was not “in her prime” at the age of 51. The update also came just an hour after the news broke that Tucker Carlson had been fired from Fox News.

On Monday, April 24, Lemon expressed his shock while announcing the news of his departure in a tweet that read, “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.” However, the shock was not the first one in recent times. It comes quite close to the one he experienced from one of the most tragic instances in his life - his sister L’Tanya Lemon Grimes' sudden death. 

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How did L’Tanya Lemon Grimes die?

Grimes died on January 31, 2018, after she fell into a pond in her Livingston, Louisiana, neighborhood. The death of the 58-year-old was confirmed as an accidental drowning by the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office which concluded there was no indication of foul play, Nola reports.

Remembering her, Lemon wrote at that time, "Thanks everyone for your words of sympathy. Please keep my family in your prayers. Leisa was my oldest sister and partner in crime growing up. Always had my back." He also shared a video with the caption, "This lifted my spirits. I needed this today. Thank you @EuniqueJG!! #BlackHistoryMonth."

While the family said in a statement, "The Lemon/Grimes family would like to thank everyone for their condolences and prayers at this time. Our family has suffered the tragic loss of L'Tanya 'Leisa' Lemon Grimes and we are leaning on each other for strength at this time. We appreciate privacy as we grieve the loss of our loved one."

Who was L’Tanya Lemon Grimes?

Born on August 11, 1959, to Katherine Clark nee Bouligney and Wilson Lemon in Port Allen, Louisiana, Grimes attended Southern University and joined the United States Army where she became a commissioned officer, states Legacy.com. She was a mother of three and a grandmother to two grandsons. She died at the age of 58.