Chris Sign

Christopher Paul Sign (born 1976 in Texas; died June 12, 2021 in Hoover) was a television news reporter and anchor.

Sign was one of five children born to former NFL player Robert Sign Sr and his wife, Susan. He grew up in north Texas and was an all-state offensive lineman at Lamar High School in Arlington. In 1994 he signed as a left guard for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team under Gene Stallings. After redshirting his freshman season, he finished his college football career on Mike DuBose's 1997 team. While in college, Sign made an unpaid appearance in the CBS series, "Walker, Texas Ranger." He graduated with a journalism degree.

From 2000 to 2005 Sign worked as a reporter for ABC 33/40. He later moved to Phoenix, Arizona as a reported for another ABC affiliate, KNXV-TV for 13 years. While there he was responsible for breaking the story of Bill Clinton's unplanned meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch in June 2016. Sign later published a book recounting his experience.

Sign also covered the hunt for the "Serial Shooter" and "Baseline Killer" which had terrorized Phoenix that summer. His reporting was recognized with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association and an Emmy Award from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Sign returned to Birmingham to take the place of Dave Baird, who retired in September 2017. He shared the evening news anchor desk with Pam Huff and Brenda Ladun. Sign also served on the Board of Visitors for the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences.

In June 2021 Sign was found dead at his home in Hoover's Scout Creek subdivision from an apparent suicide. He was survived by his wife, Laura, and three sons.

Publications

• Sign, Christopher (2019) Secret on the Tarmac. Birmingham: Crest Publishers ISBN 9781939960498

References

• Carlton, Bob (September 19, 2017) "Birmingham station ABC 33/40 names evening news co-anchor." The Birmingham News
• "ABC 33/40 anchor Christopher Sign passes away." (June 12, 2021) ABC3340.com
• Robinson, Carol (June 12, 2021) "Christopher Sign, Birmingham TV anchor and former Alabama football player, dead in apparent suicide." The Birmingham News