Lester Holt was visibly moved during his farewell from NBC Nightly News after a decade-long tenure.

The 66-year-old broadcaster had previously made it known that he'd be bowing out of Nightly later this year. In his final appearance on Friday, Holt took to the stage with a heartfelt address, reflecting on his ten years at the helm, filled with positivity and encouragement.

He expressed his gratitude saying, "I'm so grateful for your trust. Around here, facts matter. Words matter. Journalism matters. And you matter." He revisited some of the major news events he's covered, like the Covid-19 crisis, numerous mass shootings, and devastating natural disasters.

Holt emphasized that each challenging story highlighted "our resilience and our compassion" and explained, "It's why I often like to leave you with something to smile about, moments that reassure and connect us." Saluting his crew, family, and viewers for their unwavering backing through his journey, Holt shared, "I'll miss our evenings together, and I'll miss the team that puts it all together: my dear friends and my colleagues."

Finishing, Holt offered his thanks to his supportive family and the audience, stating, "But for now, I just want to say thank you to my incredibly supportive and patient family and all of you." And with a nod to the future, Holt showed his support for Tom Llamas, the incoming anchor set to take over starting Monday, reports the Express US.

Lester concluded his speech with a personalized version of his iconic farewell, "Please continue to take care of yourself and each other, and I'll do the same." The program then played a highlight reel showcasing some of Lester's most memorable moments, including his reports from Iran and Ukraine, as well as interviews with notable figures like Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Kamala Harris.

Following the montage, an emotional Lester stepped up and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Oh my goodness. It has been quite a ride. Thanks, everybody." A decade after taking over the anchor chair on NBC Nightly News from Brian Williams, Lester announced in February that he would be stepping down from the role.

Yet, Lester isn't leaving NBC entirely; he will remain involved with Dateline, which he has been anchoring since 2011. Discussing his decision to stay active in journalism while departing from Nightly, Lester explained, "We're still doing journalism, but these are hour and two-hour shows we're doing. Some of the stories you'll see me doing will be months in the making."

He elaborated on his future plans, stating, "I've done a lot of things that are outside of what many would think is a traditional Dateline, but I want to do more of those."

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