BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — 7 News is remembering a longtime member of our family who brought many of the biggest stories to touch Western New York into our homes for decades.
Photojournalist Rick Swenson died Sunday. He was 90 years old. Swenson retired from WKBW in 2008 after a remarkable career that spanned 38 years. He was a critical piece of the iconic Eyewitness News brand, working alongside the legendary team of Irv, Rick and Tom.
He served many of those years as a sports photojournalist, which gave him the opportunity to travel with the Bills and Sabres to capture some of the greatest moments in Buffalo sports history.
Swenson’s career started in the days of black and white, when he used hand-cranked film cameras to capture the news for the viewers of the Buffalo region and Southern Ontario. He made the switch to heavy videotape cameras in the 1970s and 80s, before being part of the WKBW news gathering team that ushered in the digital age.
In March, the Buffalo Broadcasters Association announced Swenson would be inducted into the 2026 Hall of Fame class this fall as the recipient of the Behind the Scenes Award.
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The BBA recently presented Swenson with his award while he was receiving Hospice care.
The 7 News family extends its condolences to Swenson’s son Scott – who followed in his father’s footsteps and is a photojournalist at WIVB, his son Chris – who has served as the voice of the Buffalo Bandits since the team’s inception in 1992, his son Rick Jr., a physical therapist, and Jason Swenson, principal at Williamsville East High School, and the entire Swenson family.
