CNN’s Wolf Blitzer called his former boss Ted Turner “one of the greatest visionaries of our time” on Wednesday in a moving tribute to the cable news pioneer following the CNN founder’s death at 87.

Turner Enterprises released a statement on Wednesday revealing Turner had passed away. The longtime philanthropist and environmentalist was best known for founding the first 24-hour cable news channel, CNN.

On The Situation Room, Blitzer let a segment going over Turner’s life play. He then proceeded to lament the “very, very sad moment” during a discussion with Pamela Brown.

He said:

A very, very sad moment, and Pamela, especially for those of us who worked so closely over the years with Ted Turner. He hired me back in 1990, and I remember he told me when he hired me, remember, we’re the cable news, capital N, capital E, capital W, capital S. We’re the cable-news network. This is where the news comes first, and your vacations and everything else comes second. So, he was so determined to make sure that the news was strong, was reliable, was fair, and he inspired me and so many other journalists to work and report the news fairly and accurately, and if possible, break those stories first.

The CNN anchor recalled being hired by Turner back in 1990 and detailed a “painful” last meeting with him just months ago, when it was clear his health had significantly deteriorated.

He said:

I saw him a few months ago in Atlanta, and we had lunch, and it was just so painful to see how he had deteriorated his health over the years because a while earlier, I went out to Montana, spent some time with him at his ranch out there, and it was a very different kind of Ted Turner at that time, but it was just painful and we’re going to miss him. I’m going to miss him a lot personally because of all the wonderful things that he did.

Brown added that no one at CNN would be where they are without the “maverick” Turner.

She said:

We wouldn’t be here without Ted Turner, CNN wouldn’t be here with out Ted Turner. He was truly an entrepreneur, a maverick, and he made his vision come to life and has had a tremendous impact all around the world, Wolf. And you’ve told me so many times over the years what Ted Turner told you about the news coming first. And Wolf, you have lived that every step of the way in your career. He has just been such an inspiration for all of us.

Watch above via CNN.

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