The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
D’Ascenzo’s philanthropy to live on with foundation
BRANFORD — The late Denise D’Ascenzo, a longtime anchor at WFSB-TV Channel 3, was long known for her philanthropic efforts as well as her journalistic accumen — and while D’Ascenzo, who was a Branford resident, died on Dec. 7, her philanthropy will live on.
D’Ascenzo’s families — both her blood family and her work family — have created The Denise D’Ascenzo Foundation, with a website at thedenisefoundation. com, to create some good from D’Ascenzo’s death and keep her spirit alive, her husband, Wayne Cooke, said Tuesday.
The foundation is the work of everybody close to D’Ascenzo, Cooke said.
“It’s certainly her family. It’s certainly her family at Channel 3,” and “it’s other people,” he said.
“It’s in its early stages,” Cooke said. But “we think it has the potential to do a lot of helpful things.”
The foundation was in part a response to the outpouring of people looking for a way to properly memorialize D’Ascenzo in the wake of her passing, Cooke said. D’Ascenzo, who was 61, was the longest-serving anchor in the station’s history. She would’ve celebrated 34 years with WFSB in March.
“More than anything, I’d like Denise’s legacy to continue,” Cooke said. “She was always about contributing to many causes. Because she’s gone, I feel we need to kind of pick up that mantle from her and continue.”
Cooke pointed out that D’Ascenzo for years acted as co-host of WFSB’s annual MDA Telethon, which was part of the national Jerry Lewis Muscular. Dystrophy
Association Telethon, with then-Channel 3 meteorologist Hilton Kaderli. “She gave her time to Hartford Hospital and Mary’s Place,” and “when Paul Newman was first establishing the foundation for his Hole-in-the-Wall Gang camp, he asked for Denise to interview him.
“... She’s always been very involved in community activities,” he said. The Denise D’Ascenzo Foundation “is just our way of continuing that.”
The foundation, which is in the process of becoming a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit, will aim to do some good in a number of areas, Cooke said.
“Our mission is to carry on Denise’s passionate efforts to support advances in medicine and health, women’s and children’s issues, and journalism studies,” it says on the foundation website. “These causes were particularly close to Denise’s heart, and your generous donation will greatly assist in providing worthy organizations the support they need.”
Life hasn’t been easy for Cooke, his daughter, Kathryn, 22, who is a senior environmental studies major at Cornell University, and the rest of their family since D’Ascenzo’s passing.
“Quite honestly, we’re taking it day by day — sometime moment by moment,” said Cooke, D’Ascenzo’s husband of 32 years. “Kathryn’s back at school. She’s being a trouper. Fortunately, she’s her mother’s daughter.”
WFSB Vice President and General Manager Dana Neves called the foundation “a brilliant idea” and said, “I think it’s Wayne and Kathryn’s way to keep Denise’s legacy alive.”
The causes the foundation will support “were things that were important to Denise,” Neves said. “For a long time she was a cheerleader for women — and specifically for women in journalism.”
But she wasn’t looking to be recognized for it.
“She was sort of that superweapon that people had in the corner, but she didn’t want to be known for it,” Neves said.
“If there was a child in need or a cause in need, even without finishing you could count on Denise for help,” Neves said, recalling a situation involving a Greater New Haven family that needed a handicapaccessible van for two of their children in which D’Ascenzo got on the phone and began calling around until she found a dealer willing to help the family.
But she didn’t want Channel 3 to do a story on it because she wasn’t looking for any sort of credit, Neves said.
“That’s like one in a million stories” about D’Ascenzo, she said.
“Denise would not like any of this attention” because, unlike a lot of people in her position, “she was not looking for attention,” Neves said.
But despite the sadness of D’Ascenzo’s passing, “I think ... this foundation would be the silver lining,” she said.
D’Ascenzo, who received many honors during her career, will be honored Wednesday with a memorial service in Hartford at 1 p.m. in the Connecticut Convention Center. Seating is limited.
D’Ascenzo was an 11-time Emmy award winner. She was also honored with seven Associated Press awards, a national Gabriel Award and two Edward R. Murrow awards.
People can contribute to the foundation online or by making a check out to “The Denise D’Ascenzo Foundation” and mailing it to The Denise D’Ascenzo Foundation, Department 1370, P.O. Box 986500, Boston, MA 02298-6500.