Political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz has created a special tribute honoring NewsChopper 4 team members Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw, depicting the helicopter in the sky with a halo in place of its propellers.

Alcaraz, an award-winning Latino cartoonist known for work that often reflects on social issues and life in Los Angeles, said the tragedy moved him to honor Eliana and George and their work as journalists.

“Everybody was feeling this tragedy and it was such an LA situation that I had to comment on it and I had to give a tribute,” Alcaraz said.

The image depicts NewsChopper 4 in the sky, surrounded by a halo — a simple but poignant tribute to the two journalists.

Alcaraz said creating tributes has long been part of his work.

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 viewers have been leaving heartfelt tributes in memory of NewsChopper 4 team, Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw. This broadcast aired on NBC4 at 3 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2026.

“I do little tributes, for example when Dolly Parton passed away,” he said. “And then I did an editorial cartoon like that.”

Alcaraz said the ideas behind such images can sometimes come to him unexpectedly.

“I’m not trying to say it’s divine inspiration, but sometimes the images just pop into my head,” he said. “And doing a tribute to real people is tough, but it’s also, I think, what the public wants, and they want to feel good.”

Alcaraz said he hopes the tribute gives people an opportunity to remember Eliana and George while also recognizing the work journalists do for their communities.

“They want to remember these people and honor them,” he said. “Appreciate their lives and appreciate the people that go out and do jobs so that they don’t have to, you know, and that inform.”

His message to those who see the cartoon is simple.

“Just to hug each other and hug a journalist,” Alcaraz said. “We need to think, appreciate every day that we have.”

NBC4 aerial reporter Eliana Moreno and NewsChopper 4 pilot George Marciniw were killed on Sept. 15 when their helicopter crashed in Chatsworth while they were covering a fatal collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus. Edy Fernando Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground, was the third person killed in the crash.