Obituary: Wheelchair-using TV reporter in Minneapolis dies

From WCCO-TV:

MINNEAPOLIS ― Longtime WCCO-TV reporter Darcy Pohland (pictured) died overnight March 5. She was 48 years old.

Pohland was discovered by a personal care attendant Friday morning at her home in Minneapolis. She had apparently died in her sleep. Her cause of death has not yet been determined.

Pohland has been a news reporter at WCCO-TV for the last two decades.

She was born in June of 1961. She grew up in Mendota Heights and graduated from Sibley High School. She grew up with her two friends, Lucy and Jill.

"The three of us, we learned to ride bikes together, and ski together and skate and play kick-the-can 'til we had to go inside, 'til it was dark," Jill said.

Lucy said as an adult, Pohland was tall, slender and beautiful.

Pohland was first hired at WCCO-TV in 1986 after she served as an intern in the summer of 1983. She interned at WCCO-TV's Washington D.C. bureau while attending George Washington University.

While an intern, Pohland dove into the shallow end of her apartment swimming pool and broke her neck. The accident caused permanent paralysis from the chest down.

She spent five months rehabilitating at the University of Minnesota's Rehabilitation Center before moving into her own apartment and continuing her studies at the University of Minnesota.

After graduating, she underwent hand surgery to help improve her manual dexterity. Before long, she was enjoying her new position as a dispatcher at WCCO-TV's downtown Minneapolis studios.

From dispatcher to assignment desk assistant to planning editor, Darcy was a presence behind the scenes at WCCO-TV. That changed in 1994 when she was became a reporter for the station's Community News segment. She later became a general assignment reporter.

A lifelong fan of the Vikings and the Golden Gophers, Pohland is remembered for her passion for sports, figure skating, musical theater, and her cats.

Pohland wasn't feeling well this week and was absent from work on Thursday. Her last WCCO-TV news story was a Good Question report on why TV jingles are so catchy.

"So full of energy. She was positive, argumentative, opinionated, smart, but probably most of all you could count on Darcy to always put her friends first," said Mim Davey, a good friend of Pohland.

"What people should remember is that she was probably one of the funniest people I have ever met," added Kelly Huffman, another friend. "With the zinger just at the right moment, probably when you least expect it.

For example, Pohland was once asked what she hopes God says when she reaches the Pearly Gates.

"It's you? What are you doing here?" she answered with a smile.

Pohland is survived by two brothers. Her mother died last month.

Pohland will be greatly missed by friends, co-workers and her viewers.