One of Metro Vancouver’s most recognizable voices in news radio has died.
George Garrett was a reporter at CKNW for more than four decades, breaking exclusive stories and covering some of the biggest events in Canada.
He was born on a farm in Saskatchewan in 1934 and joined CKNW as a reporter in 1956.
Garrett covered many major events in B.C., including the province’s longest hostage-taking in the 1970s.
He was known for building relationships with police agencies, gaining their respect and being trusted to get the story right.
To the dismay of many other reporters at the time, Garrett was repeatedly first at breaking exclusive stories.
While covering the deadly 1992 riots in Los Angeles, he became part of the story — but kept on reporting with a broken jaw.
Garrett retired from CKNW in the late ’90s and became a volunteer cancer driver.
He was always open about his personal life with listeners. His son died in a canoeing accident and he cared for his beloved wife Joan while she struggled with Alzheimer’s until her death in 2021.
Garrett also published a book, Intrepid Reporter, sharing more stories of his career.
A mentor and invaluable resource to many upcoming reporters, Garrett started undergoing his battle with cancer a few years ago.
He was 89 years old and leaves behind children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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