Leaves behind nightly lead-anchor grind to spend more quality time with daughters & hubby while battling depression
Videos: Top left is a WKMG anchor Lauren Rowe promo, the middle shows her and reporter Tony Pipitone (who left the station earlier this year for a new gig in Miami) going over returns for the 2012 presidential election, and at right is a rare tour by Rowe of the newsroom last year.ORLANDO -- When she first hit the TV airwaves more than a decade ago, she was Lauren Perkins.
Then she got married. but it didn't take WKMG Local 6 followers long to match the name Lauren Rowe with the familiar pretty face with long platinum blonde hair, along with the reassuring voice. Perkins left WKMG two months ago and so far she's not looking back.
It was an unexpected shocker as reported April 24, by Orlando Sentinel TV columnist Hal Boedecker, with the headline, Lauren Rowe leaves WKMG effective immediately.
Boedecker's lead read almost like a death had occurred and to most of Rowe's followers, it kind of felt that way. He wrote in the lead: Anchor Lauren Rowe has departed WKMG-Channel 6 after 13 years, the station announced Thursday.
Rowe told Boedecker in his column, "I love journalism and I love the work I do, but my family and I need a fresh start. This is such an amazing community that continues to show me love and support. I have no immediate plans right now, but I'm excited to see what opportunities pop up."
Snapshot taken from Lauren Rowe's Facebook page highlights earlier departure from WKMG anchor duties to seek treatment for depression.
Rowe told Boedecker in his column of her leaving WKMG as the anchor since 2001, and suffering from depression: "I love journalism and I love the work I do, but my family and I need a fresh start. This is such an amazing community that continues to show me love and support. I have no immediate plans right now, but I'm excited to see what opportunities pop up."
As Boedecker reported, Rowe, WKMG's top anchor since her arrival in 2001, took a break in January to seek treatment for depression, returning the following month. Then on April 24, WKMG General Manager Skip Valet announced Rowe was resigning, effective that day.
With her Diane-Sawyer-like facial expressions and tone, Rowe was the mainstay on the 5, 6, 7 and 11 p.m. newscasts either as co-anchor or solo. She also hosted the Sunday news talk show, "Flashpoint."
She's remained out of the spotlight since then, except for occasional Facebook postings about her husband of nearly 10 years or her two daughters, but her fans continue in droves to let her know there that she's missed.
Christy M Robinson of Mount Dora, wrote on June 1: "Lauren, I so miss you on the news, and Flashpoint. I hope you are OK. You and your Husband look so good. The news is not the same without you. I don't enjoy it anymore."
Three days earlier, Shirley Burke White of Lady Lake, wrote: "Love and miss you. Hope you are enjoying this precious time with your family. Think about you every news hour Lauren Rowe!"
And Lewis Cottrill of Winter Springs, demonstrating Rowe has her fair share of male fans, too, succinctly posted the following May 30 to on her Facebook page: "Rock On!"