Equally loved and loathed by millions, Rush Limbaugh was an icon in the world of broadcasting and yesterday, the 70-year-old passed away after a year-long battle with advanced lung cancer. His wife, Kathryn, made the announcement herself from the microphone her husband used every day.
Since achieving radio syndication stardom in the late 80’s, Mr. Limbaugh grew into the most listened-to radio show in the U.S. His mark on the medium of radio was unmistakable – as his show is estimated to have attracted between 15-and-20 million listeners a week.
Limbaugh is credited for fueling the rise of conservative talk on radio, generating millions of dollars in revenue for stations. Last February, President Trump awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his final State of the Union address. He is survived by third wife Kathryn, he doesn’t have any children.
- Limbaugh survived a number of health scares before dying of cancer. In 2001, Limbaugh said he was “100-percent, totally deaf” for all practical purposes. It’s not known what caused the deafness, but doctors were able to successfully restore most of his hearing through a cochlear implant – he also learned to read lips. In 2006, he was diagnosed with angina and in January 2020, he announced that he had been diagnosed with “advanced” lung cancer.
Source: New York Times
