MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Who was Jenny Lenzini? TV news reporter dies after motorcycle crashes into a tree in Florida

Jenny Lenzini, 26, who had begun working in July with Waterman Broadcasting, which operates channels NBC2 and ABC7 in southwest Florida, died after a motorcycle she was riding on smashed into a tree

NORTH PORT, FLORIDA: A reporter who worked with distinguished news outlets died after suffering fatal injuries in a motorcycle accident on Saturday, November 14, afternoon in North Port, Florida. 

Jenny Lenzini, 26, who had begun working in July with Waterman Broadcasting, which operates channels NBC2 and ABC7 in southwest Florida, died after a motorcycle she was riding on smashed into a tree, WBBH-TV reported. The outlet added that the reporter was riding on the back of a motorcycle when the rider lost control of the bike and struck a tree on Saturday. Lenzini was airlifted to a hospital in Sarasota where she later died. The rider had died at the scene. 

“Jenny covered stories that mattered most to our community in Charlotte County and Lee County,” the outlet said. "She was always diligent in her work and made sure you knew how grateful and thankful she was to be reporting in Southwest Florida."
 
Lenzini started her broadcasting career as a producer at KTIV in Sioux City, Iowa, in August 2016. With her hard work and dedication, she worked her way up to becoming a weekend anchor and multimedia journalist at the same station. The staff at the station were "all in shock" after learning of the tragedy, KTIV news director Keith Bliven said Sunday evening, the Sioux City Journal reported. "It's like a gut punch. She had a great future ahead of her, and did great things, and she was going to do great things," Bliven said.

"Jenny was a bright light, full of heart, dedication, a rising star in the broadcast industry with an infectious smile. She was authentic, humble and always kind," said KTIV Vice President and General Manager Bridget Breen. In the months leading up to her tragic death, Lenzini was put in charge of covering multiple beats including the coronavirus and Tropical Storm Laura. She also landed an interview with a local leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right, neo-fascist, and male-only political organization that promotes and engages in political violence in the United States and Canada, which claims to support President Donald Trump. 
 
Lenzini grew up in the Crystal Lake suburb of Chicago and leaves behind by five other siblings.“She idolized Diane Sawyer growing up and loved being around people,” WBBH-TV reported.

The news of the reporter's death comes just months after 26-year-old Nina Kapur, a journalist for CBS2 in New York, was killed while riding on a Revel scooter. She was a native of Newtown, Pennsylvania, and was pronounced dead on July 18 at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. She was a passenger on the Vespa-like scooter and was killed after "the operator swerved for an unknown reason” and the pair “fell to the roadway as a result,” a detective told The New York Times.

Kapur’s death was reported on CBS New York’s website, with whom Kapur had been working since June 2019 and was known for her contagious smile and love for storytelling. Her colleague Jessica Moore paid her a tribute on Twitter. "I’m heartbroken to learn about the passing of my friend and colleague @ninakapur1 Her smile lit up the room. Her tenacity and determination were remarkable. She always strove to be better, work harder and love those around her. A tribute to her tonight @CBSNewYork," she wrote.