Longtime Local 12 anchors, co-workers share what John Lomax meant to them

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - We are all remembering our friend, colleague, and member of our Local 12 family, John Lomax.

He died unexpectedly on Tuesday after a bout with pneumonia and complications that followed.

For nearly four decades, he delivered the news with honesty, integrity, and humor. Co-workers spent the day sharing their heartbreak and reflecting on what John meant to them.

"John was more than my co-anchor. He was my best friend, my dear, dear friend. I adore him and he just was who he was wherever he was. Whoever you saw on TV, was the guy you would meet in person. He was exactly the same. Not a phony bone in his body, no pretentiousness at all. He was just genuine, cool, smart, wise, so funny, so, so funny," said Cammy Dierking, former Local 12 anchor.

Another one of his co-workers, Rob Braun, shared what it felt to be like in the newsroom with him.

"He was committed to making it a relationship driven newsroom that felt like a family. We could go to war together and we would want to win every story, but we want to be friends and nice to each other along the way," said Braun, former Local 12 anchor.

One of the men instrumental in hiring John was former Local 12 news anchor Nick Clooney. He shared from his home just how shocked he was when he heard the news.

"This is the second time we had to say goodbye. I'm not sure I know how to do that," said Clooney.

The two had just seen each other only a few weeks ago at Clooney's 90th birthday party.

John was 72. He died from complications with pneumonia. He's survived by his wife, Donna, and his children, Brandon and Lindsay, as well as his grandchildren.