For decades when there was news, there was Cokie Roberts.

The Emmy-winning mainstay reporter of NPR and ABC News died at 75 on Tuesday, ABC said, after a long and storied career that began in the 1960s.

And almost instantly, her death prompted a wave of condolences across social media, particularly from women in the industry who regarded Roberts as a role model when the voice and names of men crowded newspaper bylines and radio waves.

"Sad news about one of our founding mothers," wrote Michele Kelemen, an NPR correspondent who has been with the outlet for more than two decades.

For many women, Roberts was the reason they pursued a career in journalism.

Women struggle for independence in Georgia Show all 14 1 /14 Women struggle for independence in Georgia Women struggle for independence in Georgia Mariam Kebadze, 16, in one of the rooms inside her house where she lives with her mother Leila Achishvili and her grandmother Nadya in Jokolo. Mariam's mother owns Leila's Guesthouse in Pankisi. She said that she is dreaming of her own room where she would have privacy. "I used to live in Telavi and could talk to friends about many things, here it is harder, I prefer to talk to adults, they know and understand more," she said. Photography by Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia A woman covers her face during a rally held by residents of the Pankisi Gorge, who were protesting against the planned construction of a hydropower plant, near the village of Birkiani. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Mariam Kebadze, 16, fixes her hair during an evening walk along Alazani river. Mariam used to live with her father in Telavi and moved to Pankisi to support her mother. "It's really boring sometimes here, there's not much to do in the village because it's the same routine all the time - school, classes, jogging by the river sometimes," she said. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Women have a break after singing and dancing on a very hot day for a traditional Sufi ceremony, zikr, performed every Friday. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Three cousins of Mariam, who live in Chechnya, play in Alazani river in Dzibakhevi village. They came to Pankisi for the first time, to spend time with their family. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Bela Mutoshvili, 55, a music teacher, and guesthouse owner, sits outside her Folk Guesthouse. "Developing tourism is the only way for the village to survive now, there are no other jobs here," Mutoshvili said. "I have a group of very talented students but I'm afraid if they get married young they give up music and their dreams. They are very ambitious and want to continue studying in conservatory, I support them as much as I can." Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Residents clash with police during the rally. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Women gather for a traditional Sufi ceremony, zikr, performed every Friday. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia An old bus stands outside a garage. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Mariam and her cousins go for a walk along Alazani river. "I love my cousins and we have a lot of fun but I think they are still very immature and we can't talk about many things," Mariam said. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Mannequins stand outside a traditional Islamic shop. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Leila Achishvili, 53, visits the first gym in Pankisi Gorge for both men and women. Sumaya, a resident of Pankisi, opened the gym, which is one the few public places where women can meet. She says many are too fearful to attend. Sumaya's husband was killed in Syria. Fearing her four children's prospects could be damaged if their name was associated with the conflict, she declined to be identified by her family name. She wanted to "do something for women and keep herself busy not to think about her husband's death all the time". Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Leila, 53, hosts tourists from Poland and Belgium for a dinner in her guesthouse. Barbara Konkolewska (right), who is an old friend of Achishvili, owns a travel company Caucasus X-trek in Poland and brings tourists to Pankisi. She works with guides from Pankisi and is in the process of registering her company locally. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya Women struggle for independence in Georgia Students attend an English class for intermediate level in a school. The school is supported by Roddy Scott foundation started by parents of the British journalist who was killed in Ingushetia covering the Second Chechen war. Reuters/Ekaterina Anchevskaya

"A legend has passed," said NPR's Rachel Martin. "When I was in high school I wanted to grow up to be Cokie Roberts."

"Cokie Roberts inspired me to become a journalist (and go to Wellesley)," Washington Post reporter Heather Long said on Twitter. "She was one of the few women on Sunday talks shows when I was growing up. She was always smart, fierce and insightful."

Farrah Fazal, an investigative reporter, said the death of Roberts was a "complete, irreplaceable loss" to the field. "She was a pioneer, a mentor, committed to integrity and truth, a driving force in trying to change the system that held women back."