NORFOLK, Va. — After anchoring 13News Now's evening newscasts for 23 years, David Alan announced Tuesday he will be leaving Hampton Roads.
In a special moment during our 6 p.m. newcast, Alan shared a personal note with viewers: May 24 will be his final broadcast from the 13News Now anchor desk.
"I've decided that it's time for the next chapter of my life, a time to embrace new challenges and new opportunities, even though sitting here right now, I'm unsure where that road will lead me," he said.
Alan joined the WVEC newsroom in 2000 and has anchored our weekday newscasts at 5, 5:30, 6, and 11 p.m. His contributions to 13News Now and its viewers often find him moving out from behind the desk in the studio.
In 2007, David was in Blacksburg as part of our coverage of the shootings of Virginia Tech. He also was proud to host the station’s special presentation U.S.S. Monitor: An Ironclad Adventure in History and to anchor Emmy-Award-winning coverage of the impact Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) would have on Naval Air Station Oceana.
David received an Edward R. Murrow Award and has been recognized by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters for his investigative series exposing weaknesses in the Virginia Beach Emergency Response System. He also won the Douglas Southall Freeman Award, which recognizes reporting on issues that make a real difference in the lives of the people of Virginia.
"My time in Hampton Roads has deepened my respect for military families, for shipyard workers, for elected officials who put principle over politics, for volunteers who handle critical medical emergencies, for teachers, and for all of you who work to make our community a better place," David said during his farewell Tuesday.
David also talked about his daughter, who was three years old when he joined the 13News Now newsroom. In June, He will walk her down the aisle.
"Time moves so quickly, doesn't it?" he said.
"People have asked me if I'm counting down the days until my final broadcast," he said during Tuesday's newscast. "Actually, I'm treasuring each and every day that we have together, and that I get to be a part of this talented news team. We truly are family."
"Most importantly, I want to thank you for trusting me to tell your stories, and there are many more stories I want to tell."