Brenda Buttner: Remembering this iron Fox News business correspondent who died of breast cancer!
Brenda Buttner, was a courageous lady journalist who had dared to venture into the male-dominated territory of finance reporting. She was quite successful in her career. But she died an unnatural death due to breast cancer. However, she did not let the diagnosis dampen her spirits. Through this article, we pay tribute to the great soul.
Brenda Buttner and her early life and career
Brenda Buttner’s birthplace was San Francisco in California, the USA. She completed her graduation from Harvard university in the year 1983. She was good in academics and amongst the top students of her college.
Brenda got a Rhodes scholarship and did a BA in politics and economics (2 years course) from Balliol College, Oxford University, England.
Brenda returned to the USA and joined NBC affiliate KCRL-TV in Reno, Nevada. Motorcycles were her passion. Hence, she served as a feature editor of Cycle World magazine. Later, she worked for CNBC and was host of their show, The Money Club. She was also a correspondent in Washington from 1990 to 1993. From 1995 to 1998, she also served as a general correspondent.
Brenda joined Fox News channel in 2000 and was the senior business correspondent and hosted Bulls & Bears program on Fox News. She also regularly put in her contribution for Your World with Neil Cavuto.
Brenda was aware of her responsibilities in a male-dominated field. She said once to Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel in 1997:
“Women are not afraid to simply admit they don’t know about something, which men rarely do. So women realize there is no such thing as a st**** question when it comes to understanding an investment.”
She wanted women to be financially independent and knew it’s importance. Her own estimated net worth was USD 3 million.
Brenda’s wedding and family
Brenda was a married woman. Her husband was Tom Adkins who was a famous American political writer and also a real estate investor. The two had met in 2005 and started dating. Their courtship period was small because they wed the same year. The couple has two children, daughters Rebecca and Rachel.
However, the marriage collapsed in five years and they divorced in 2010. Brenda single-handedly brought up her daughters. She used to upload pictures of herself and her daughters’ on her social media.
It showed that she was a loving and caring mother to them. The loving mother once said:
“It may seem like a cliché, but it’s true. I am blessed with each day I awake and see my two beautiful daughters.”
She used to make time to spend some memorable moments with her family and friends.
Brenda’s tragic and untimely death
Brenda was only 55 years of age when she expired after battling breast cancer. It was a rare type of cancer that doctors diagnosed in her in 2015. The medical team managing her put her on chemotherapy. That caused her to lose weight. But she kept up her sense of humor and had joked:
“I wanted to lose a few pounds…well man this chemo diet works!”
Despite therapy, her cancer spread to her eyes and brain. It was a highly malignant cancer. Even during her illness, Brenda did not leave writing. She continued with writing and publishing her personal articles on finance which was her forte. These were published in Ladies’ Home Journal and The New York Times.
Brenda died on 20 February 2017. Her colleagues and friends paid tributes to her. Fox News host Neil Cavuto said:
“In her sickest moments, battling an unrelenting cancer, there was Brenda, cheering you on,”
“Business journalism is never going to be the same. I just don’t know, now that she’s gone, whether we’ll ever be.”
Former Fox News commentator Tobin Smith posted on his Facebook page:
“She loved rainy days, cloudy places, motorcycles and her children most of all. I told her that I would spread a few of her ashes in her beloved Edinborough outside her favorite pub…she loved that idea.”
“My dear Brenda Buttner..she was the little sister I never had. I miss her terribly and yet she is in my heart forever and an inspiration to all that knew her and her battle.”
While former CNBC anchor Ted David revealed that she was smart and upbeat who was always joyful. In his words:
“She was smarter than smart, poised and gracious on the air, fun to work with as a fellow broadcaster and dedicated to her job,”
Short bio on Brenda Buttner
Brenda Buttner was an American correspondent who died in 2017 due to breast cancer. More bio…
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