Local TV reporter ‘Chopper Tom’ Hawley dies at 60

Las Vegas tv newsman Tom Hawley has died pursuing a conflict with pancreatic cancer, his leader announced Friday morning.

Hawley, 60, was known connected aerial arsenic “Chopper Tom” owed to his predominant quality reports from a Sky 3 quality helicopter. His employer, KSNV-TV Channel 3, reported his decease Friday, saying Hawley was a longtime Las Vegan who cherished Nevada.

Hawley was a committed newsman who regularly produced reports connected Southern Nevada past known arsenic the Video Vault series.

He was besides a instrumentalist who played “standup bass,” arsenic good arsenic an avid hiker, KSNV said.

“He loved Southern Nevada’s mountains,” his leader wrote. “He hiked to the apical of Mt. Charleston 60 times, the past clip conscionable a fewer months ago—one ascent for each twelvemonth helium spent connected and flying supra the scenery helium loved. While helium climbed, helium thought of you, his neighbors, and friends.”

Hawley was a postgraduate of Rancho High School and UNLV.

Many viewers posted tributes recognizing his contributions to Las Vegas done journalism connected his idiosyncratic Facebook leafage Friday morning.

“Your contributions to this assemblage acold exceeded your postulation reports,” poster Rob Alahn wrote. “Thank you for sharing your perspective, cognition and emotion of Las Vegas.”

Contact Glenn Puit by email astatine gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ connected Twitter.