'I can’t do it anymore,' Veteran CT News Anchor Announces

Sara Sanchez, a beloved evening anchor at Fox61, announced last week that she is leaving the station and the industry next month because she no longer has the energy to fight the constant change.

"I can’t do it anymore," Sanchez wrote on Facebook. "I’m tired."

Just as she was announcing her departure, news was breaking that Tegna, which owns Hartford-based Fox61, and Nexstar, which owns WTNH-TV in New Haven, are merging, which could have a significant impact on local news coverage in Connecticut and around the country. Connecticut has joined other states in a lawsuit to block the merger.

The merger could have meant a change in scenery for Sanchez, and she said she is not up to it, having moved her family "all over the country" over her dozen years in the industry.

"But the urge to move again is gone. I have been outrunning the beast," she wrote. "The beast — changing local journalism. Always looking over my shoulder. Wondering what massive changes I’m walking into day after day after day. Watching the dust settle behind me as I scurry out stage left.

"The beast didn’t catch me, it’s chasing someone else now."

April will mark four years for Sanchez at Fox61, before that, she was at a station in Palm Springs, CA, after a stint at a station in Montana.

Sanchez emphasized that the decision to leave the industry on April 19 is not to spend more time with her loving family, but because she has succeeded at reaching her goals.

"It’s all I ever wanted," she wrote. "To be a news anchor. And I did it. For 12 freakin’ years. My dreams were fulfilled.

"Now, it’s time for my dramatic exit."

The reaction by fans to her announcement has been overwhelmingly positive.

"SO SO proud of you for making your exit YOUR exit, and not letting them control your narrative!" one fan wrote.

Another wrote, "Good for you Sara. It takes great courage and strength to walk away from something these days. That you were putting your own well-being first it certainly the right move. I wish a good fortune in finding your next career. I know you’ll succeed."

In a subsequent post, Sanchez thanked her fans and colleagues for their support.

"I cannot thank you enough for all the warm words," she wrote. "I NEVER imagined it would get so much attention. Ever. Once again, I have one more month at FOX61, where I will cherish all the moments with my coworkers, many who have become dear friends. Our newsroom is full of really, really good people."