Kellie Burns says goodbye to Gulf Coast News after 33 years of telling Southwest Florida's stories

Kellie Burns, a longtime journalist with Gulf Coast News, is retiring this week to focus on her family after 33 years of reporting in Southwest Florida.

Kellie’s first experience on television came in the 1970s, when she appeared on "Action News for Kids" at just 9 years old. Her love for journalism grew, leading her to pursue it as a career after college. She began as a reporter in her hometown in upstate New York before moving to Fort Myers in 1993.

“So I packed up my Mitsubishi Eclipse Purple, and I drove down here across the state line, and I thought maybe I would be here for a couple of years,” Kellie said. “It was a much different community. When I got here, there was no Midpoint Bridge. There was no Florida Gulf Coast University. Once you got south of Gladiolus, you didn’t hit many more buildings or communities until you got to Naples.”

During her time along the Gulf Coast, Kellie covered a wide range of stories, from political conventions to major international news, and was always eager to deliver the latest updates.

“That’s been one of the most amazing things to witness: the fire that burns in you, how competitive you are, how much you care about what’s going on in Southwest Florida. I know you’re going to be texting me the first time we have a major story and you’re here,” Peter said.

While her passion for journalism remains strong, Kellie said her family has made sacrifices for her career, and now is the right time to give back.

“We’ve made some tremendous sacrifices as a family for me to do this job. And so now the time is right for me to give back. Plus, I have a daughter in high school, so I need to have eyeballs on her all the time,” Kellie said.

Former ABC7 meteorologist John Patrick also shared a message reflecting on Kellie's legendary career.

[mediaosvideo align='' embedId='68ddcdbc-f0e3-4752-8b80-ed2037b020d3' mediaId='b1bdef8d-96f1-42be-a091-12c174cf5b64' size=''][/mediaosvideo]

As Kellie prepares for this new chapter, Gulf Coast News will host a special send-off for her on Thursday at 8 p.m. The event will celebrate her more than 30 years in journalism and the impact she has had on the Gulf Coast community.