Denise D'ascenzo Connecticut’s Princess By Christopher Annino

A journalist she was, Connecticut’s Princess she will always be Camelot will live

Her smile was warm her eyes could heal Camelot will live

Be open, be brave, be kind were Denise D'ascenzo words Camelot will always live

It has been a year since the passing of Denise D'ascenzo and to many of us she was more than just a journalist she was a beacon of hope in a world that can be so very cold. She truly was Connecticut’s Princess there will be no other like her.

Legendary broadcaster and 2020 NEMHOF Soundwaves Award winner Ron Carson had the chance to meet her numerous times and expressed how great she truly was.

A story I have not told many people was I had a show Mystic News on SEC TV http://www.sec-tv.org/ and I had a chance to Cover the annual 2017 WRAP Party honoring Lynn Malerba. The event was a fundraiser for the Channel 3 Kids camp. I had gotten great interviews from Bill Stanley from L and M Hospital, Wally Lamb, Lynn Malerba and representatives of the Channel 3 Kids Camp. I was star struck because I had spotted Susan Raff who is one of my favorite investigative reporters. I had approached Scott Haney in regards to being interviewed for my show he didn’t necessarily take the time or interest in wanting to be interviewed.

What I didn’t realize was Denise had seen this from 25 feet away and as I had turned around I was truly in shock. There she stood looking at me with the kindest smile. I had never seen anyone on the face of this planet look as beautiful as this person. She was very tall and looked like she was drawn out of a Disney film. She looked at the press pass around my neck and said “which news station are you with?”. I was incredibly real and very modest I had expressed it’s an educational access station. She looked at Haney and looked back at me with the kindest eyes “Would you be ok with interviewing me for your station in regards to this event?” I couldn’t speak at this point and I nodded yes Denise then said “great let’s do the interview after the event Id greatly appreciate it” I was so incredibly happy even if I didn’t get to interview her it was the fact I got to have a conversation with her and she was so incredibly kind to me.

I remember after the event she had two bags of leftovers for her news colleagues. There I stood with my father who I had running the camera we were both nervous. Not nervous in a bad way nervous like the night before Christmas way. She rushed over and was multi-tasking like a Jazz drummer however yet displayed such grace.

Before we started she asked “its going to be a two shot right?” I said absolutely she then smiled. The interview was flawless and it was 100 percent because she made it so incredibly great. There is a moment in the interview where she kindly complemented me expressing she was impressed. She didn’t have to say that and it was incredibly kind of her I am a novice compared to her.

I froze at one point during the interview because at that moment I was living a dream that I was told by many would never happen she ended our interview with saying “Be true to yourself believe in yourself and try to conduct yourself with kindness.”

This is a tribute I created with that interview

Denise D'ascenzo as far as I am concerned was the greatest human being that had walked this earth she and was given numerous awards and accolades including an honorary Doctorate from Quinnipiac University.

Prior to her passing the board of directors of the New England Music Hall of Fame www.newenglandmusichof.com had elected Denise to be the first to receive the New England Music Hall of Fame Life time achievement award.

Legendary broadcaster Kevin Hogan will be accepting this award on behalf of Denise as she will be forever enshrined in our hearts. On behalf of the New England Music Hall of Fame we would pray for her family and friends on this day. And we want to express how much we appreciate this amazing woman watching her has made us each better people. Fellow News Anchor Dennis House is now President of the Denise D’ascenzo Foundation for more information please check out https://thedenisefoundation.com/