Talk Radio Icon Rush Limbaugh Dies

Screenshot via Youtube

Rush Limbaugh, a revolutionary in the world of talk radio and long time conservative media icon, died Feb. 17 at the age of 70 after battling lung cancer. 

Limbaugh’s wife Kathryn made the announcement of his passing on Limbaugh’s radio show. 

“As so many of you know, losing a loved one is terribly difficult, even more so when that loved one is larger than life,” she said. “Rush will forever be the greatest of all time.”

STAGE FIVE CANCER

In January 2020 Limbaugh told his listeners that he was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. Soon after, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Trump and First Lady Melania at the State of the Union Address.

Limbaugh told listeners in December 2020 that he had lived longer than doctors anticipated. 

“I wasn’t expected to be alive today,” he said. “I wasn’t expected to make it to October, and then to November, and then to December. And yet, here I am, and today, got some problems, but I’m feeling pretty good today.”

A CONSERVATIVE TAKE

The Rush Limbaugh Show began in 1988 and was arguably one of the most controversial shows in American politics. Although he was a conservative trailblazer and brought Republican Party ideals to the masses, he also faced backlash regarding commentaries on race and gender. 

He confidently promoted Donald Trump and became a friend to the former president. In 2016 the radio icon was one of the first to convince other conservatives to take Trump’s run for president seriously. 

Limbaugh’s weekly shows were played over 600 radio stations across the country and Fobes estimated his 2018 earnings to be near $84 million.