Norah O’Donnell: “Thank you for welcoming hard news with heart into your homes”

Norah O’Donnell got a special sendoff on Thursday night’s “CBS Evening News,” her final show as anchor before she takes on a new role at the network.

Oprah Winfrey took us back through O’Donnell’s five years as anchor and managing editor of “CBS Evening News” — a tenure that included a historic interview with Pope Francis, a live broadcast aboard the USS Nimitz, and live, on-the-ground coverage on critical breaking news stories across the globe.

“Through countless hours of breaking news, and nearly 1,300 broadcasts, Norah, you’ve treated each story with grace and compassion, putting world events into context, offering a hug, a little laughter, and a whole lot of smiles along the way,” Winfrey said.

O’Donnell called her time at CBS Evening News “an honor of a lifetime” and thanked the viewers “for trusting us and welcoming hard news with heart into your homes.”

O’Donnell will move into a new role as senior correspondent for CBS News, contributing feature reporting and interviews across CBS News broadcasts and platforms.