Mike Hopkins, CBS News' director of logistics for special events, dies unexpectedly

Mike Hopkins, CBS News' director of logistics for special events, died unexpectedly Tuesday. 

He worked at CBS News for almost four decades, with a front row seat to history. He was always there to make sure CBS News journalists got on air without a hitch, including during natural disasters, elections and State of the Union addresses. 

"Mike gave everything he had to CBS News. He was a CBS News institution," CBS News co-president Neeraj Khemlani and executive vice president Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews said in an email to employees on Wednesday. 

"He moved mountains to get our people around the country — and the globe. ... He was critical to CBS News staying on the air during the pandemic. He did whatever it took to make sure CBS News excelled." 

Hoppy, as he was known to his colleagues, was quick-witted and often brought a smile to others' faces. He was more than a coworker, he was family to so many. 

"Mike Hopkins was the heart of this network, a legend, for his tireless dedication to what we do every single day," "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell said. "He taught so many of us about work and about family, about how to cover hard stories and how to take care of one another. He made sure that at the end of a hard day covering tornadoes or hurricanes that there would be a warm meal and a needed break for the crew. He was a happy road warrior. We miss you already, Hoppy." 

Hopkins is survived by his wife, Kathy, and their three children, Ryan, Tommy and Ashley. 

"This hurts, there's no other way to say it, our hearts are broken," Khemlani and Ciprian-Matthews said.