Bill Skiba, a senior videographer for KEYT-TV Santa Barbara, Calif., collapsed and died Nov. 20 while covering Michael Jackson's trip to the county jail. Skiba, 43, was given CPR on the scene and rushed by paramedics to Cottage Hospital, but never regained consciousness. Skiba suffered from diabetes and was believed to have died of a heart attack.
An obviously distraught Paul Vercammen, news director at the station, described Skiba as the center of the newsroom and the staff of 27 as "absolutely crushed." Vercammen called Skiba an "unusually gifted photographer who captured vivid pictures and emotions every day, " contributing to videography that was nationally renowned.
Because KEYT has numerous alumni in L.A., Skiba’s death hit all of Southern California's news community hard, he said. Skiba had been with the station for seven years and had come up through the station's intern program.
He is survived by his parents, Vivian and Paul; four brothers, Bob, John, Paul and Michael; a sister, Paula; and 11 nieces and nephews.
