Valerie Hoff DeCarlo, a former CNN anchor whose broadcasting career ended in controversy after she used a racial slur in a private message, died last week at age 62 following a battle with lung cancer.
Hoff DeCarlo served as an anchor at CNN from 1992 to 1999. After departing the network, she worked as an anchor and consumer reporter at NBC affiliate WXIA in Atlanta from 1999 to 2017, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her decades-long career in broadcast journalism came to an abrupt end following an incident that would permanently alter her professional trajectory.
In 2017, while investigating a story about racial and police violence, Hoff DeCarlo reached out to a Black man who had posted a video she was trying to investigate. The man had previously written in a public post that many “news n—as” were trying to obtain the video. In her private message to him, Hoff DeCarlo used the same racial slur to describe herself.
The man questioned whether this was an isolated incident. “If she is bold enough to say it to me, being an African American, then I’m pretty sure this isn’t the first time she has used that word,” he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Hoff DeCarlo attempted to explain that she was referring to herself when using the term. However, the man requested contact information for her manager or lawyer, and the situation escalated when he posted the private messages publicly. The incident sparked immediate controversy and professional consequences for the veteran broadcaster.
WXIA suspended her for two weeks before she ultimately resigned from the station. The incident marked the effective end of her mainstream journalism career, closing a chapter that had spanned 25 years in television news. After her resignation, Hoff DeCarlo quietly attempted to return to the industry as a citizen reporter through her own personal blog, though that platform has since been deleted.
The controversy represented a dramatic fall for a broadcaster who had built a career covering significant stories and sharing personal aspects of her life with viewers. Hoff DeCarlo was known for work that often intersected with her personal experiences, including her family’s adoption journey and her health battles.
Hoff DeCarlo was married to Derrick DeCarlo and was the mother of two sons. The couple adopted one of their children from Russia after struggling with infertility. Her willingness to share such personal challenges made her relatable to many viewers throughout her broadcasting career, particularly when she documented her health struggles.
In 2013, Hoff DeCarlo was diagnosed with breast cancer, an experience she shared publicly with her audience. Her openness about the diagnosis and treatment process resonated with viewers facing similar challenges. More than a decade later, she received another devastating diagnosis when doctors informed her in 2024 that she had stage 4 lung cancer.
Despite her health challenges, Hoff DeCarlo remained actively engaged in planning family activities in the weeks before her death. She was organizing a cruise trip with her family and planning to host a Christmas party, according to close friends. These plans reflected her determination to maintain normalcy and create memories with loved ones even as her health declined.
Her husband Derrick DeCarlo spoke about her strength and character following her death. “She was a force with everything she did. She was a strong, capable, loving woman and a wonderful mother,” he said.
Hoff DeCarlo’s case highlighted the complexities surrounding context, intent, and the use of offensive language, even when attempting to mirror someone else’s phrasing. The incident demonstrated how quickly private communications can become public in the digital age and the swift professional ramifications that can follow.
Her death marks the end of a complicated legacy that includes both significant contributions to broadcast journalism in Atlanta and the controversy that ended her career. While her use of the racial slur in 2017 overshadowed her previous work, those who knew her personally remembered her dedication to her family and her resilience through multiple health challenges.