A Channel 3 family member died this week from Huntington's Disease. Kathy Walsh was a reporter at WRCB in the mid 80's and continued her successful career in news for years. 

"She was definitely a friend forever," former Channel 3 Photographer Michael Capehart said.

"She was very demanding, she knew what she wanted and she insisted that it be quality," Capehart said.

One of Kathy's photographers at Channel 3 was Capehart, aka Skooter. That was a nickname given to him by Kathy and another Channel 3 co-worker that stuck.

"Kathy screamed out he looks like the skooter, he's skooter," Capehart said.

Skooter said Kathy was all about fun, but when it was time to work, she was all business. At Channel 3, her segment was called the night beat. She was professional and had the ability to gain an interviewee's trust.

"She would talk to the people that she was going to interview and she would just talk to them and have a conversation and she was getting to know them and putting them at ease before the cameras even rolled," Capehart said.

Kathy went on to a news station in Oklahoma City and then Detroit, but stayed in touch with many Channel 3 co-workers.

"She's include you in things, she was a great planner. She got us all to go with her to New York, we went snow skiing together, once we had kids we took them to Saint Simon's Island together that she orchestrated," Local 3 News Anchor Cindy Sexton said.

Huntington's Disease is a rare, neurological disease that has no cure that affects about 40,000 people in the United States.

"It is so complete in how it effects the brain so we often describe it as having Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's and ALS all at the same time and over time you lose the ability to take care of yourself and you become completely dependent on others for your care," Huntington's Disease Society of America President and CEO Louise Vetter said.

It's an inherited disease. Kathy's father had Huntington's and a few years ago, Kathy found out she also had the disease.

"We were good friends and I told her I did see some things were changing that weren't normally how she would walk, talk or just function and that's when we really kind of knew," Capehart said.

On Thursday, April 14, Kathy Walsh died at the age of 63.

If you'd like to get involved with the fight against Huntington's Disease, the Society of America is hosting the "Cruisin' for a Cure" event in Fayetteville, Tennessee on April 23, to raise awareness and funds.

Kathy's family is asking for donations in her honor.