Remembering John Alexander: 1981 - 2007
'Nightline' remembers a former colleague and friend.
Dec. 13, 2007— -- Our friend and former ''Nightline" colleague, John Alexander, died suddenly yesterday in China, where he was working on a series of Discovery Channel documentaries with Ted Koppel.
Alexander was just 26 years old, but had already made wonderful contributions in journalism at National Public Radio, "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," "Nightline," and, most recently, at Discovery.
His passion for journalism was ignited during an internship at "Nightline," following his sophomore year at the University of Michigan. "I remember Tom Bettag (then executive producer of "Nightline") telling me, 'Journalism can't be taught, it can only be caught.' I sure caught it that summer," he said.
Alexander grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended St. Xavier High School. Once an aspiring race car driver, he was an avid motorsports enthusiast. "The excitement, the strategy, the teamwork, and the sheer unpredictability of making television — it's exhilarating, and, in many respects, not unlike driving a race car," he said.
His infectious zeal for life will be with us always. Our hearts, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his many friends.
