"She was remarkable," the morning show host wrote of her sister.
Katie Couric is paying tribute to her late sister 17 years after her death.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, the 61-year-old morning show host wrote a loving tribute to Elinor Couric, whom she called Emily. Katie's older sister died in 2001 at age 54 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
"My sister Emily passed away 17 years ago today. She was remarkable," Katie wrote alongside a black-and-white snap of Emily smiling. "Whip smart, driven and compassionate, the eldest child in the Couric family who set a wonderful example (and high bar) for the three who followed."
Katie went on to describe Emily's political career in Virginia, where she was running for Lieutenant Governor prior to her diagnosis. After stepping down from the election, Emily was replaced by Tim Kaine, who went on to be Hillary Clinton's pick for vice president. The wave of female candidates running for office, Katie noted, would have made Emily proud.
"As I’ve watched so many women decide to run for office and get into public service, it’s made me think of my sister, who as a state Senator loved representing the people of Charlottesville and all of Albemarle County," she wrote. "Emily would be so proud of the many women who want to 'be the change they wish to see.'"
The news anchor concluded her sweet message by shining a light on the cancer center built in Emily's honor.
"Emily’s wonderful husband George, along with her friends and family and the good people of Virginia established the Emily Couric Cancer Center at UVA which has helped so many dealing with this maddening disease. #rememberingemily #vote," she wrote.
Katie's first husband, Jay Monahan, also died from cancer at age 42. Jay, a lawyer and legal analyst, passed away in 1998, a year after he was diagnosed with colon cancer. The couple shared two children, Caroline, 22, and Elinor, 27. Back in January, Katie paid tribute to Jay with a throwback photo of him with one of their daughters.
Watch the video below for more on Katie's tribute to Jay:
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