Community members and family members are mourning the loss of a veteran journalist from Washington, D.C. who died Tuesday.

Derrick Ward Sr., a reporter at NBC4 Washington (WRC-TV) and formerly of radio stations WPFW, WAMU and WTOP, died Tuesday from complications after a recent cardiac arrest.

“Derrick has been an inspiration and cherished member of our family and his hometown community,” the 62-year-old’s family said in a statement shared publicly by WRC-TV. 

“As a distinguished journalist, Derrick’s storytelling, prolific writing, warmth, and humor touched countless lives. Our children and our entire family will miss him dearly,” his family wrote.

WRC-TV also issued a statement about his passing, calling him the station’s “resident DC historian and poet.”

Ward just celebrated his 62nd birthday last month, according to his Facebook page.

‘He shined when he had a pen, a microphone, or guitar in his hands’

Ward grew up in the southeast Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Marshall Heights, WRC-TV reported. 

Ward went to H.D. Woodson High School and the University of Maryland, then worked for local radio stations such as WTOP. He eventually crossed over to television news, starting at WKBW-TV in Buffalo and then making his way back to D.C. in 2006 to report for WRC-TV.

According to the station, Ward was able to touch those around him through words and music.

“He shined when he had a pen, a microphone, or guitar in his hands,” the station wrote.

Ward lived through multiple moments in D.C. history, including the 1968 riots after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. He covered events such as the Iran-Contra hearings, the September 11 attacks and the Washington sniper shootings, according to his online biography.

Although his X account has been inactive since 2023, his last post gave social media users a glimpse into the work he did.

“Descendants of enslaved and enslavers join hands at Arlington House, Lee Family Plantation house,” Ward wrote on April 22, 2023.

His Facebook page also speaks to the journalist’s love for music as he shared clips of famed musicians performing. Up and down Ward’s timeline are clips of Caribbean band Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, soul band Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band and Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango.

And when he wasn’t jamming and reporting, Ward loved playing golf and also spent lots of time with his three children, Derrick Jr., Ian, and Marisa, according to WRC-TV.

His family plans to share memorial information in the coming days, they wrote in their statement.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

WASHINGTON – In a poignant moment for the nation, former President Jimmy Carter has made his final journey to Washington, D.C., where he is lying in state at the U.S. Capitol ahead of his National Funeral Service on Thursday. Despite the freezing temperatures and snow, mourners from across the country have flocked to the capital to pay their respects.

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Among those braving the elements was Jill Welch from Brookhaven in Georgia, who expressed her gratitude for making it to the Capitol despite the weather challenges. Having volunteered at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Welch felt it was important to see the former president’s casket in D.C. before attending his burial in Plains.

“President and Mrs. Carter meant a lot to me,” Welch shared. “They’ve changed this world.”

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Patrice Earnest from Smyrna also traveled to the nation’s capital, choosing to honor Carter on a national stage rather than at the Carter Center. She emphasized the significance of witnessing the respect and impact Carter had on a national level, sharing a personal connection through her family’s invitation to his inauguration nearly 50 years ago.

“I knew that it would mean a lot for me, our family, just to be here,” Earnest said.

As thousands continue to arrive at the Capitol, the shared sentiment among the visitors is a desire to honor the legacy of a globetrotting humanitarian who left a lasting mark on the world.

“Just a time to reflect on all the good works that he and Mrs. Carter did,” Welch said.

The Capitol is expected to see a steady stream of visitors until Thursday morning, as the nation bids farewell to a beloved former president.

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D.C. officials are urging people experiencing homelessness to go to shelters amid this week’s dangerously cold temperatures.

Tent encampments covered with snow could be spotted throughout the city after Monday’s snow storm.

About 1,400 people stayed in the city’s shelters Tuesday night, officials said.

“You kind of, like, make the best of it, and you do what you have to do to survive,” said Eban Nimblett, who has been experiencing homelessness for more than three years. “Me and other people in our situation, we try to comfort up and just stay whole.”

Nimblett, who spoke to News4 at one of D.C.’s day centers, described what it’s like living on the streets when it’s dangerously cold outside.

“Treacherous, treacherous. It’s like you wandering. You might end up at Union Station or riding the buses or the subway or just kind of wander out, just looking for a place to actually, you know, to huddle up and keep warm,” Nimblett said.

D.C. officials say the city has enough space in its shelters, but convincing people to take advantage of them is often difficult.

“It’s very important that people understand how dangerous hypothermia can be,” Rachel Pierre, an administrator for the D.C. Family Services Administration, told News4.

“For people who won’t come out in the cold, we have outreach, checking on them, distributing warming items, hand warmers, socks, dry shoes, blankets, as many blankets as they want, as many blankets as they need, as many sometimes tarps, if that’s their request,” Pierre said.

She said the city continues to check on those that refuse to come to a shelter in case they change their minds.

The day center where News4 met Nimblett is blocks away from the White House and offers meals, hot showers and medical services.

“Once I learned about this place, I kind of fell in love with the people here, and they got to know me and they have the doctor here, they have laundry, a place to take a shower, they feed. You can sit in, watch TV, keep warm,” he said.

If you see someone you think might need help you can call the shelter hotline at (202) 399-7093 or dial 311. D.C.’s hypothermia vans operate 24 hours a day.

For more information on the city’s cold weather resources, including shelter locations, go here.