Longtime CNN correspondent Stephanie Elam has said goodbye. The correspondent is leaving the network after 20 years.
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Elam officially signed off after announcing her exit earlier this month. Colleague Sara Sidner says that everyone at CNN would miss the correspondent. She said, "Everyone here is sad to see it."
"I want to say thank you for being my friend, helping me through cancer and being a sister, really," Sidner said. "You have been a sister to me. CNN may have brought us together, but ain't nothing gonna tear us apart."
"You're not getting rid of me, I love you," Elam said. "Tell everyone there, every stage manager, everyone there, I love you guys. It's been a joy working with you all."
Elam's exit from the network comes after she confirmed her exit on social media earlier this month.
"For more than 20 years, I've been in the CNN orbit developing and delivering news stories on everything from the environment and entertainment to business and breaking news of all kinds," Elam wrote, per Variety.
CNN Speaks Out
She also added, "I'm so proud of my CNN career. Live or taped, writing packages or doing a show-and-tell, I've done it all — and having a front row seat to document history has been a gift."
Meanwhile, CNN also released a statement about her exit. They said she "brought clarity, credibility, and heart to every story she touched."
"Her versatility and natural ability to connect with audiences made her a trusted voice and a valued colleague," CNN's statement read. "We are grateful for her many contributions and wish her continued success in her next chapter."
Jake Tapper also shared warm wishes for the correspondent and her future journey.
"Stephanie, I'm told this is your last day," Tapper said on air. "I first met you covering the tornadoes in Oklahoma, 2013 or 2014. And I saw you in Ferguson. You and Sidner were just like two of the gutsiest reporters I'd ever seen during all that craziness."
"We're really gonna miss you. I do not know what's going on. But when I take over the company, I will bring you back," he added with a smile.
