Many people wonder if the late anchor Matt Napolitano and the politician Janet Napolitano are related due to the similarity in their surnames. Find out!
The beloved anchor, Matt Napolitano, was a radio anchor for the renowned channel Fox News.
In recent years, Napolitano got recognition for his sports commentary and the privilege of covering significant and renowned sports events.
Born in 1990, Matt started his career at Fox in 2015 as a writer for the dedicated SiriusXM news channel, Fox News Headlines 24/7.
There, he quickly showcased his writing, producing, and on-air skills, progressing to the role of a sports reporter for the service and excelling further in that position.
Similarly, Matt appeared on Fox Business Network, delivering the latest sports stories and collaborating with the affiliate news service Fox News Edge team to voice packages for various reports.
According to Matt Napolitano’s LinkedIn profile, he graduated with a communications degree from Hofstra University.
Moreover, he also worked as a News Associate Producer with TMZ and served as an employee at WRHU and Merlin Media.
During his tenure, Napolitano earned numerous awards, including the WEHU Broadcaster of the Year, Press Club of Long Island’s Best Overall Newscast, and the Associated Press Award for Best Overall Newscast in 2011.
Was Matt Napolitano Related To Janet Napolitano? Who Are His Family?
Due to the similarity in surnames between anchor Matt and the American politician, some people wonder if the two were somehow related.
Janet Napolitano, an American politician, lawyer, and university administrator, is a big fan of basketball, tennis, and softball.
However, the two are not related, and the only similarity only lies in their surname.
With that being settled, the sports anchor is survived behind his beloved husband, Ricky Whitcomb, his parents, Michael and Betty Ann Napolitano, and his siblings.
Moreover, he was the eldest among the three Napolitano siblings.
Reports indicate Matt Napolitano and his family were of Italian descent. But Matt was born and raised in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.
Additionally, he was a member of the LGBTQ community and married Ricky in May of this year.
What Is Matt Napolitano’s Cause Of His Death?
Matt’s husband Ricky announced the news of the anchor’s death on social media.
In a tribute post, Whitcomb stated, “He loved his job and bringing the news to your radios and televisions.
An honest journalist who truly cared about facts. You can thank him for the last-minute Jets win today.”
Furthermore, in another post, Matt’s husband revealed his husband had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease almost 20 years ago.
After being diagnosed with lupus at the age of 15, he transitioned from playing sports to starting a career as an announcer in games.
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack and damage healthy tissues and organs.
After battling lupus for many years, he succumbed to infection, passing away two days before Christmas at the age of 33.
The Fox News community, fans, and close friends of Matt and Ricky have stepped forward to pay tribute to their most beloved anchor.
His old friends from university came to pay tribute to him as well, describing him as kind and selfless.