Photography by: Adele Godfrey (http://www.adelegodfrey.com), Makeup by: Alisa Jurnari, Hair by: Mary Wood
NEW YORK, NY – Mar. 20, 2013 – The popular host of NBC’s Early Today Show, television news anchor and founder of the Eric De La Cruz Hope for Hearts Foundation, Veronica De La Cruz, gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The television journalist’s 8 pound, 4 ounce bundle of joy was born with dark hair and green eyes and has been named Hartley Eric, after the journalist’s brother who died in 2009.
“Before my brother died, I started an online campaign to raise money for a life-saving heart transplant,” noted De La Cruz. “Thousands of compassionate Twitter followers came out to support the effort and we lovingly referred to them as Eric’s Twitter Army. They all displayed banners on their online avatars that read, ‘<3 Eric,’ which is where my son’s name comes from. If you look at my own social media profile, you will see still see a heart followed by the name Eric. That is what inspired my son’s name.”
De La Cruz and her mother Rose have been over the moon at little Hartley’s arrival, with the new mom noting, “After the pain and devastation of losing Eric almost four years ago, having a healthy baby feels like an incredible miracle. Of course, he couldn’t be any more beautiful. I think I can safely say I have finally met the love of my life.”
De La Cruz said she is looking forward to sharing her personal journey into motherhood through a new non-profit organization and website which will launch later this year.
De La Cruz is a television news anchor at KPIX/KBCW in San Francisco. Prior to joining KPIX/KBCW, De La Cruz worked for MSNBC/NBC as a host of Early Today and First Look, and spent five and a half years at CNN Worldwide, serving as an anchor and correspondent. Most recently, she was a correspondent for CNN’s American Morning. In addition, she founded and anchored CNN Pipeline and created the segment Dotcom Desk. During her tenure at CNN, De La Cruz anchored and reported live coverage of major breaking news stories such as Hurricane Katrina, the Southeast Asian Tsunami, the 2008 presidential elections, the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, the death of Ronald Reagan, the collapse of Wall Street, the housing market crash, and a series that celebrated diversity entitled Asian in America.
Before joining CNN in 2003, De La Cruz anchored and reported for KYMA, an NBC News affiliate in Yuma, Arizona. During her tenure at KYMA, De La Cruz covered pertinent issues such as immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border, the nation’s growing shortage of qualified nurses, and the plight of the migrant farm worker and a special series on the homeless in the Yuma area.
Photography by: Adele Godfrey (http://www.adelegodfrey.com)
De La Cruz began her career in broadcasting hosting a music show she created called Direct Drive on the Digital Entertainment Network, where she interviewed countless musicians and bands. She also served as a host for SonicNet and Eruptor Entertainment’s Living Giant.
In addition to her role as an MSNBC anchor, De La Cruz is an active volunteer with groups promoting healthcare reform and in 2010 started the Eric De La Cruz’s Hope for Hearts Foundation, a non-profit organization, in honor of her brother Eric, who passed away after a struggle to get health insurance with a pre-existing medical condition. The Hope For Hearts Foundation assists patients and families in need as they face the daunting financial and emotional challenges associated with obtaining a heart transplant.
Prior to her career in journalism, De La Cruz spent a decade of her life as a competitive figure skater. She is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association. She also mentors students at the Associated Press Television-Radio Association’s academy as well as other university students, most recently doing so in Paris. She resides in New York City.
For more information regarding Veronica De La Cruz, or to receive other baby photos, please contact Susan von Seggern on susan@susanvonseggern.com or 213-840-0077.
# # #
Photography by: Adele Godfrey, http://www.adelegodfrey.com
Makeup by: Alisa Jurnari
Hair by: Mary Wood
To download a PDF of this press release, click here.
