Don Imus who had a long-lasting radio career has died at 79.
He passed away at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in College Station, Texas, on Friday morning. His death was confirmed to multiple outlets by publicist Matthew Hiltzik but the details surrounding his cause of death have not been released.
“Don loved and adored Deirdre, who unconditionally loved him back, loved spending his time watching Wyatt become a highly skilled, champion rodeo rider and calf roper, and loved and supported Zachary, who first met the Imus family at age 10 when he participated in the Imus Ranch program for kids with cancer, having battled and overcome leukemia, eventually becoming a member of the Imus family and Don and Deirdre’s second son,” Imus’ family said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
On March 16, 2009, the well-known radio shock jock revealed on his show “Imus in the Morning” that he had prostate cancer. He explained on the show that doctors advised him to seek radiation treatments but he was opting for a more holistic approach.
Imus passed away less than two years after he announced his retirement on Twitter, writing, “March 29th, 2018, will be the last ‘Imus in the Morning Program.’ Turn out the lights…the party’s over.”
March 29th, 2018, will be the last ‘Imus in the Morning Program.’ Turn out the lights…the party’s over.
— Imus (@WhereMyImusAt) January 22, 2018
He was a pioneer in the genre of radio known for being controversial with his judgments and criticisms of celebrities, politicians, racial groups, women, gay people and more.
Imus was fired from CBS Radio in 2007 after calling the Rutgers University women’s basketball team a racist slur.
Mike Francesca, radio host for WFAN in New York remembered Imus in a Tweet sharing his condolences with his family.
Shocking news on the passing of my friend, Don Imus. He will long be remembered as one of the true giants in the history of radio. My thoughts and prayers to Deirdre and Wyatt. God speed.
— Mike Francesa (@MikeFrancesa) December 27, 2019