The popular host of NBC’s Early Today Show, MSNBC anchor, and noted founder of the Eric De La Cruz Hope for Hearts Foundation that aids heart transplant patients, Veronica De La Cruz, has announced that she is indeed expecting and that her baby is due in March.
De La Cruz is excited for the arrival of her first child noting, “I am so thrilled to be having this baby, I am extremely family oriented so this is the culmination of a lifelong dream! After the pain and devastation of losing my brother Eric in 2009, it is a miracle to be able to add to our family in this way.” De La Cruz said she looks forward to sharing her personal journey into motherhood, with a new non-profit organization and website which will launch later this year.
Prior to joining MSNBC in 2010, De La Cruz spent five and a half years at CNN Worldwide, serving as an anchor and correspondent. Most recently, she was a correspondent for CNN’s “American Morning.” In addition, she founded and anchored CNN Pipeline and created the segment “Dotcom Desk.” During her tenure at CNN, De La Cruz anchored and reported live coverage of major breaking news stories such as Hurricane Katrina, the Southeast Asian Tsunami, the 2008 presidential elections, the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, the death of Ronald Reagan, the collapse of Wall Street, the housing market crash, and a series that celebrated diversity entitled “Asian in America.”
Before joining CNN in 2003, De La Cruz anchored and reported for KYMA, an NBC News affiliate in Yuma, Arizona. During her tenure at KYMA, De La Cruz covered pertinent issues such as immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border, the nation’s growing shortage of qualified nurses, and the plight of the migrant farm worker and a special series on the homeless in the Yuma area.
De La Cruz began her career in broadcasting, hosting a music show she created called “Direct Drive” on the Digital Entertainment Network, where she interviewed countless musicians and bands. She also served as a host for SonicNet and Eruptor Entertainment’s “Living Giant.”
In addition to her role as an MSNBC anchor, Veronica De La Cruz is an active volunteer with groups promoting healthcare reform and started the non-profit Eric De La Cruz’s Hope for Hearts Foundation in honor of her brother Eric, who passed away after a struggle to get health insurance with a pre-existing medical condition.
Recently, she spent considerable time in Europe reporting and researching the international differences in health care policy.
Prior to her career in journalism, De La Cruz spent a decade of her life as a competitive figure skater. She is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association. She also mentors students at the Associated Press Television-Radio Association’s academy as well as other university students, most recently doing so in Paris. She resides in New York City.