Lifestyle Health 'Inside Edition' 's Bob Read Dies of COVID-19 at 60: 'His Legacy Will Live On' The managing editor had been reporting on the pandemic before being diagnosed with the virus in December By Georgia Slater Georgia Slater Georgia Slater is an associate editor on the Parents team at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2018. Her work has previously appeared in USA Today and Washington Life Magazine. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 12, 2021 09:03AM EST Photo: United Way Bob Read, Inside Edition's leading investigative producer and managing editor, died Saturday of complications due to COVID-19. He was 60. Inside Edition, where Read had worked for 30 years, announced his death, describing him in a statement as a "cherished member of the Inside Edition family." Read had been working on the program's pandemic coverage up until he was diagnosed with the virus on Dec. 18. "For 30 years, Bob has been a cherished member of the Inside Edition family. He headed up the show's award-winning investigative unit, and was the managing editor for overall news coverage," the program wrote. "Bob brought the tenacity he had in his reporting to his fight with the virus. But Saturday morning, that battle ended." The Long Island native started his journalism career at ABC News 20/20, where he produced news, features and investigative reports during his eight years at the show, according to Deadline. A Person in Los Angeles County Dies of Coronavirus Every 8 Minutes, Officials Say He later produced investigative reports at Dateline NBC before heading to Inside Edition. The popular newsmagazine noted that Read was "a mentor to so many of our staff," and added that his "legacy will live on through the countless people whose careers he shaped," Deadline reported. "His passion, tireless energy, and grace under pressure inspired all of us to do our best work," the program said. U.S. Now Has More Than 50 Cases of the Faster-Spreading COVID Strain; CDC Expects More to Come Read is survived by his wife of 36 years, Michele, and his two children, Tyler and Casey. To honor Read's legacy, his family has established the Robert B. Read Memorial Fund, which provides emergency financial assistance to families impacted by COVID-19. As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.