It was the kind of news that stops you cold. On November 5, 2024, word broke that Chauncy Glover had died. He was 39. Only 39. He hadn't even been at KCAL News in Los Angeles for a full year. One minute he’s the charismatic face on your screen at 5, 8, 10, and 11 p.m., and the next, the newsroom he called home is airing a tribute to him. It felt impossible. Honestly, it still kinda does.
For months, the "how" was a giant, painful question mark. His family, understandably devastated, asked for privacy. They called him a "beacon of light," which, if you ever saw him smile on camera, you know wasn't just PR talk. But in February 2025, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner finally released the official report.
The answer was complicated. Chauncy Glover died from acute intoxication caused by the combined effects of methamphetamine and chloroethane. The medical examiner ruled it an accident. He was found unresponsive at his home and pronounced dead at 12:40 a.m.
It’s a heavy thing to process. Especially for a guy who spent his career digging into the fentanyl crisis and reporting on the hardest parts of life. But human lives are messy and layered, and one tragic moment doesn't erase the decades of incredible work he did before that night.
The Small Town Kid Who Built His Own Desk
Chauncy wasn't just some guy who ended up on TV. He was born for it. Literally. Growing up in Athens, Alabama, his dad actually built him a mini "anchor desk" when he was five years old. He’d perform newscasts for the family every Sunday after church. Imagine that—a kindergartner with more career focus than most adults.
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He followed that spark to Troy University, where he studied broadcast journalism, music, and theatre. He was a performer through and through. Did you know he sang at Rosa Parks’ funeral? Or that he acted in off-Broadway shows? He had this massive, theatrical energy that made him impossible to ignore.
His career path reads like a tour of the American South and Midwest:
- Columbus, Georgia: Started at WTVM just two days after graduation.
- Jacksonville, Florida: Became a special projects reporter and started making a name for himself.
- Detroit, Michigan: This is where things got real. He covered the Sandy Hook massacre. But it was a different tragedy that changed his life path.
The Moment That Launched a Movement
While reporting in Detroit, Chauncy watched a teenager die in the street. He’d been shot, and Chauncy was right there as the life left him. Most people would just go home and try to forget. Chauncy couldn't. He went to the local high school and started The Chauncy Glover Project (CGP).
It wasn't some tax-write-off charity. It was a hands-on mentorship program for young Black and Latino men. He taught them how to tie a tie, how to interview for jobs, and how to believe they actually belonged in college. He ended up sending more than 350 boys to university. Over 1,000 young men went through his program.
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Basically, he wasn't just reporting on the news; he was trying to fix the parts of it that were broken.
Making History in Houston
In 2015, Chauncy moved to Houston’s KTRK (ABC13). He started on the weekend mornings, but by 2018, he made history as the station's first Black male main evening anchor.
People in Houston loved him. Not just because he looked good in a suit, but because he was there. During Hurricane Harvey, he wasn't just standing in a puddle for a live shot. He actually helped rescue a pregnant woman who was in labor. He stayed with her. He held her hand while she gave birth.
That’s the thing about Chauncy—he lived at a high volume. He won three Emmys. He was named one of Houston’s "Most Interesting People." He was recognized by President Barack Obama. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. He lived a lot of life in those 39 years.
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Sorting Through the Loss
When someone like that dies, it leaves a crater. His move to Los Angeles in 2023 was supposed to be the start of a massive new chapter. He was co-anchoring with Pat Harvey, a legend in her own right, who he affectionately called "Aunty Pat."
The news of his cause of death—the accidental intoxication—added a layer of shock to the grief. It’s a reminder that even the people who seem the strongest, the most successful, and the most "together" are carrying things we don't see. It doesn't make his mentorship any less real. It doesn't make the lives he saved during Harvey any less significant.
What Happens Now?
If you're looking for how to honor his memory or what to take away from this, the family and the CGP board have been very clear: the work doesn't stop.
- Support the CGP: His father, Robert Glover, has stepped up into a leadership role with The Chauncy Glover Project to make sure those mentorship programs stay alive. They are actively seeking donations to keep the scholarship funds going.
- Check on Your "Strong" Friends: Chauncy was the guy everyone leaned on. If there’s a lesson in the tragedy of his passing, it’s that we need to create spaces where even the high-achievers feel safe to be vulnerable.
- Mentorship Matters: Chauncy’s motto was "Fear stops where faith begins." He spent his life proving that one person caring can change the trajectory of a kid's life.
You can find more information about his ongoing legacy or how to contribute to the mentorship efforts at the official Chauncy Glover Project website. His impact wasn't just in the words he spoke into a camera; it was in the hundreds of young men who are now college graduates because he bothered to build a desk for them, just like his father built one for him.
Next Steps for Readers
If you want to keep the momentum of his work going, consider visiting thechauncygloverproject.org to see how you can mentor or donate. You can also look into local Big Brothers Big Sisters programs if you’re outside the Houston or LA areas and want to provide the kind of guidance Chauncy championed.