John Christopher “Jay” LaMonica, an award-winning producer
for ABC News and the Discovery Channel who traveled to nearly
every corner of the globe during his distinguished career,
died March 13 of cancer at the age of 60.
LaMonica, a member of St. John the Beloved Church in McLean,
was involved in several charitable organizations, including
the St. Peter Claver Society, the Knights of Columbus, HOPE
in Northern Virginia and the Zambia Orphans of AIDS.
A native of Rye, N.Y., LaMonica was born July 23, 1955. He
attended Georgetown University in Washington where he became
associated with the Center for Strategic and International
Studies and served as an adjunct fellow. He began working as
a producer and national security consultant for ABC News and
received a Benton Fellowship in broadcast journalism at the
University of Chicago in 1987.
He worked closely with Ted Koppel at ABC News Nightline
before moving to the Discovery Channel in 2006, where they
continued to produce documentaries on diverse subjects,
including the threat from Iran, the emergence of China and
the history of race relations in America. Most recently he
was executive producer at “America Tonight,” Al Jazeera
America’s flagship news magazine.
“Jay touched everyone he met,” wrote AJAM President Kate
O’Brian in an email to staff on Monday. “He was a good
friend, a mentor to his colleagues and a role model for young
journalists.
“He was an inspiration for everyone who knew him,” she added.
“But perhaps what we will remember most vividly about Jay was
the joy and love he had for his family and his friends.”
The awards LaMonica won during his career included several
national Emmys for investigative reporting, several
Dupont-Columbia and Peabody awards, the Global Health Council
Excellence in Media Award and the Overseas Press Club Edward
R. Murrow Award.
A funeral Mass was celebrated March 17 by Father Christopher
Pollard at St. John the Beloved Church. Father James R.
Gould, former pastor at St. John’s, concelebrated the
liturgy.
Survivors include his wife, Teresa; his daughters Anna and
Laura; his sons Robert and Gabriel; and four grandchildren
Carolynne, John, Theodore and Eloise.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the St.
Peter Claver Society (saintpeterclaversociety.com) and HOPE
in Northern Virginia (hopeinnova.org).
