A former reporter for The Daily News in New York, Michael J. Feeney, was about to start his dream job as an entertainment reporter with CNN when he became sick last week. On Sunday, Mr. Feeney died in a New Jersey hospital of complications from a staph infection in his kidneys, his mother, Reba Willis, said.

Mr. Feeney, who was 32, went into cardiac arrest at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, N.J., the town where he grew up, just west of New York City, according to an obituary in The News. His sudden death was mourned by many in the journalism world, from reporters who worked with him on the city’s crime beat to those who fought alongside him to improve diversity in American newsrooms.

Mr. Feeney started working for The News in 2009, first on the night shift and later covering Harlem and other uptown neighborhoods. He also covered culture and entertainment. He had recently been hired by CNN and was preparing to move to Atlanta when he became sick, Ms. Willis said. He was admitted to the hospital last Tuesday for treatment. He is also survived by a sister, Maria Feeney; a twin brother, Anthony Feeney; a niece and a nephew, according to his obituary.

Mr. Feeney was an advocate for black journalists, dedicated to increasing diversity in newsroom staffing and coverage. In 2010, he was named the emerging journalist of the year by the National Association of Black Journalists, the organization said in a release. In 2011, he was elected to serve as the group’s New York chapter president.