Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh died of complications of cancer on Wednesday, according to an announcement from his wife on his radio show. He was 70 years old.
Limbaugh had been absent from his show for the last two weeks as he received cancer treatment.
He was first diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in early 2020. On Feb. 4, 2020, one day after publicly announcing his diagnosis, Limbaugh attended the State of the Union, where then-President Donald Trump awarded the radio host the Medal of Freedom.
“This is not good news, but what is good news is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet. Rush Limbaugh: Thank you for your decades of tireless devotion to our country,” Trump said at the State of the Union, as then-First Lady Melania Trump placed the award on Limbaugh.
Current Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, said President Joe Biden passed along condolences to Limbaugh’s friends and family.
In October, Limbaugh shared with his radio show listeners that new scans showed “some progression” and that it’s “in the wrong direction.”
At that time, he mentioned that his cancer was likely terminal.
“It’s tough to realize that the days where I do not think I’m under a death sentence are over. Now, we all are, is the point,” he said in October. “We all know that we’re going to die at some point, but when you have a terminal disease diagnosis that has a time frame to it, then that puts a different psychological and even physical awareness to it.”
After he went off the air on Feb. 2 for treatment, Rudy Giuliani tweeted a “get well” message.
“Rush Limbaugh was the innovator who spoke for the Americans ignored and disrespected by the elites. He’s done it with powerful rational argument and a truly great sense of humor. He’s been a friend for almost 30 years and all of us are praying for him. America needs Rush.
Rush Limbaugh was the innovator who spoke for the Americans ignored and disrespected by the elites.
He’s done it with powerful rational argument and a truly great sense of humor.
He’s been a friend for almost 30 years and all of us are praying for him.
America needs Rush.— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) February 4, 2020
Limbaugh has been been a nationally syndicated talk show host for 31 years, and was heard in hundreds of markets from coast to coast.
He started in radio in 1971 as a Top 40 music DJ in Pennsylvania. He landed a talk show on KFBK in Sacramento, California, in 1984. In 1988, he joined WABC in New York and had a national show on nearly 300 stations.
