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After a nearly 15-year courageous battle with brain tumors that eventually left her unable to perform the job she loved, Kathi Goertzen died today. She was an inspiration to many of us who are chronically ill, teaching us to not let our diseases dictate who we are or how we live our lives.

More from KOMO: http://www.komonews.com/kathi-goertzen

Other Seattle media outlets pay tribute:

KING-TV: http://www.king5.com/news/Kathi_Goertzen-165860206.html
KIRO-TV: http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/komo-news-anchor-kathi-goertzen-dies/nQ9mD/
KCPQ: http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-longtime-komo-anchor-kathi-goertzen-dies-from-brain-tumor-20120813,0,671090.story

Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018911694_goertzen14m.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/KOMO-4-s-Kathi-Goertzen-dies-3785036.php

Here's a tribute to/profile of Kathi from about a year and a half ago, as she was about to embark on yet another surgery:
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Thank you for posting this, Brad. I knew this day was coming, but of course when it happens, you're never prepared for it. She will always have a special place in my heart b/c when my husband and I first moved to Seattle in 1996, all I would watch is KOMO 4 news and I just loved her and Dan Lewis together. Over the years I've gotten away from watching the local news every night and now I hardly ever watch it. I either get my news from the Internet or on this board. Or I will watch the noon news at work on my lunch break. But still I can't imagine what it must have been like living with two brain tumors and still being so courageous. She was truly an inspiration and will be missed.

Wow, so incredibly sad. :( I didn't know of her, but to be so young, and to fight such a courageous battle for so long, how inspiring. I know that Seattle must be mourning deeply right now. My thoughts and prayers go out to her, her family, her friends, and her co workers at this very difficult time. Rest In Peace!!!

:rip: Kathi Goertzen. I don't watch american newscasts often but when I do it's usually KOMO news that I watch. So Kathi was a familiar face and voice to me and I was very inspired that she continued to work as long as she did while battling her disease with grace, dignity, and courage.

That's very sad. She had cancer for a very long time. I remember back in 1999 when it was reported she had it. I was surprised she lasted as long as she did.

She was such a fixture on KOMO-4 News, and now she's left a void few people can fill.

I didn't' get to read it all but this morning there was a beautiful tribute to her on the front page of The Seattle Times that had a statement from Governor Gregoire. I thought that was wonderful that they included her comments. I'll post the link as soon as I can.

I have spent the last 24 hours watching videos of her. What an amazing woman she was. There was a great tribute someone made on youtube of her to the song "Angel" by Sarah Mclachlan. I also watched the Komo tribute special to her, and cried all the way through. Diane Sawyer paid tribute, even people from rival news networks. Her alma mater put up a picture of her with their mascot on the home page of their website. At the end of the special, one of the female anchors who looked up to her started crying, which made the rest of them cry. The ending with her daughter singing was beautiful, and had me in tears
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Thanks for sharing this Brad!! Like I said, I didn't know of her until I read this, but it has been a pleasure finding out more about this amazing woman.

That's very sad. I watched a couple of the videos. She was a very nice woman who wanted to live so badly. She loved her family and career.

Yeah. I caught wind of her story some time ago and have been following her progress ever since. She was a remarkable woman, and very brave. She just kept going, even after what all those surgeries did to her face. She should be an inspiration to everyone, not just the chronically ill.

That's sad. :( RIP.

They had a big public memorial service for her at Fischer Plaza today, which is next to the Space Needle and where the KOMO TV headquarters are.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Community-gathers-to-celebrate-life-of-Kathi-3799662.php