What Was the Cause of Death of Long-Time ABC News Correspondent Jim Avila? Inside the Details

Viewers of ABC News are mourning the death of long-time network correspondent Jim Avila, who recently died. As the tributes for him continue to pour in, many have questions regarding his cause of death.

Find out how Jim died and if there were any prior health issues involved prior to his passing.

On Thursday, Nov. 13, it was announced by ABC News Live anchor Diane Macedo that Jim Avila died. While speaking about the “sad news,” she briefly revealed that Jim “passed away after a long illness,” but stopped short of sharing any additional details of his death.

Diane also shared that Jim faced unnamed health challenges “with courage” and revealed that he previously received "a kidney transplant donated by his brother."

As of now, no one from Jim’s family or close friends has publicly shared any further information regarding his death.

In a tribute post on Instagram, a message about Jim from ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic was shared.

“We send our heartfelt condolences to his family, including his three children, Jamie, Jenny, and Evan, and we thank him for his many contributions and unwavering commitment to seeking out the truth," his message read.

Throughout his time as a journalist covering a wide range of topics from politics, war, and high-profile trials, the former 20/20 correspondent also had tenure at rival network NBC during his career.

He began his journalism career in the 1980s in various local markets before transitioning to his work with national outlets, ABC and NBC.

Jim won multiple journalism awards over the years, including the White House Correspondents’ Association’s Merriman Smith Memorial Award, which he was awarded for his 2012-2016 White House coverage “breaking the news of the reopening of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba,” according to ABC News.

Jim, whose last position was with ABC San Diego affiliate KGTV after leaving ABC in 2021, was also the recipient of five Edward R. Murrow Awards, two National Emmy Awards, and the Mongerson Prize for Investigative Reporting.

Per the outlet, his accolades date back decades, including being named Best Reporter of 1989 and selected as 1999 Reporter of the Year by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). In 2019, he was chosen as a Hall of Fame honoree by the NAHJ.

"Jim was a gifted journalist and a generous colleague," Almin Karamehmedovic’s message began, per ABC News. He continued, noting that despite his health issues, he powered through.

[He] "continued to contribute to journalism through opinion writing and local reporting, sharing his experience and deep curiosity to tell the stories that mattered most to his community and viewers," the email said.