Dominique Sachse Enjoys a Touching Goodbye Party Filled with Love, Laughter, Tears and a Mom’s Sweet Words

The night before her final newscast on KPRC Channel 2, Dominique Sachse was royally fêted by colleagues, friends and family in a sendoff hosted by Steak 48 in Houston’s River Oaks District. While the evening marked the end of 28 years on the small screen, it also marked the beginning of new adventures for the glamorous, gorgeous news anchor with the honeyed voice.

Her first book, Life Makeover: Embrace the Bold, Beautiful, and Blessed You, publishes on April 15 and Sachse tells PaperCity that she has a few more titles in mind. A podcast is in her future. And who knows what else to supplement her YouTube channel with 1.5 million followers who tune in for everything from makeup tips to self improvement suggestions for women.

At age 54, Sachse is moving on with new adventures and is looking forward to it all.

The private room on the second floor of Steak 48 was packed with familiar faces including KPRC chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley; recently retired news anchor Bill Balleza; KPRC news anchors Kris Gutierrez, Lauren Freeman, and Christine Noël; and so many more. KTRK Channel 13 news anchor Gina Gaston was among those offering hugs as was Guinness Book of World Records holder Dave Ward, who helmed the Channel 13 news desk for almost 50 years.

A video laced with humor and affection covered Sachse’s years as news anchor, her major stories and her ever-changing hair style. Ceron, one responsible for the changing looks, made the party, he in a Houston Astros orange Burberry jacket.

Champagne, wine and an open bar raised spirits as servers continually passed through the room offering Steak 48’s signature crispy shrimp-topped deviled eggs and other hors d’oeuvres.

Mayor Sylvester Turner popped in to praise the departing news anchor and declare it Dominique Sachse Day in Houston. Speakers included KPRC GM Jerry Martin, anchor Owen Conflentti, Sachse’s 16-year-old son Styles and her mother Audrey Toll.

“I can tell you that I know Dominique better than anyone,” Toll says. “And I can tell you that she has always had the qualities, the sweetness, the intellect, the kindness, the ability that she has now. She’s never changed.”

Tears slid down Sachse’s cheeks intermittently throughout the evening, when welcoming guests and when responding to their accolades.

“Lord have mercy, I think I wanna stay. You have made this so difficult. Honestly,” she says after the unveiling of a special Gittings portrait commissioned by the station. “It’s never easy to step away from something that has served you so well and KPRC has served me so well . . .

“I’ve stayed and I’ve always said that news is not about events it’s about people . . . and for me KPRC has always been about people. I have never left because I have thoroughly enjoyed everybody that I work with. You are all my family. You are so near and dear to my heart.”

PC Seen: Courtney Zavala, Derrick Shore, Andy Cerota, Natalia Egan, Nancy Ames and Danny Ward, retired KPRC news anchor Bob Nicholas, Katherine Orellana Ross, Andrew Cortes, Dr. Forrest Roth, Amy Johnston, Oliver Halkowich, Ariga Nicholas, Krystle and Kris Gutierrez, Missy Balleza, and Kevin Gilliard.