Rush Limbaugh, the Passing of a Radio Icon

In the late 1980's my grandmother introduced me to the "Rush Limbaugh Show." Almost every day, from 11 am to 2 pm Central Time, Gran tuned in to the daily commentary and political rhetoric of the one whose "talent was on loan from God." His verbose style attracted millions of listeners from both sides of the political aisle. In fact, at the height of his career, 27 million people tuned in to his show on a weekly basis. His brash Conservative minded soliloquies offended those on the Left and emboldened the voices of the Right. Love him or hate him, no one can deny that Rush Limbaugh revolutionized political talk radio.

Limbaugh's Humble Beginnings

Rush Limbaugh was born on January 12, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In 1969, he graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School. At the age of 16, Rush began his first on air work on a radio station in his hometown. He chose the name "Rusty Sharpe" to be his on-air personality name. After graduation, his parents encouraged him to attend college. He enrolled at South East Missouri State University, but dropped out after only two semesters. He found himself consumed with the business of radio and nothing else. In his opinion, spending countless hours with his nose buried in books was a waste of time, especially since he determined that radio was his true calling. "I was totally consumed, (with radio)" Limbaugh told the New York Times in 1990.

Radio Career

In his early years of broadcasting, Rush bounced around between stations, always showing his masterful ability of attracting a listening audience. The general manager of WXIZ in McKeesport, Pennsylvania likened him to an "early Imus." After a stint in Pennsylvania, Rush moved back to his home state of Missouri, deejaying in Kansas City. Because of disagreements with management, Rush was dismissed, and he questioned whether or not his lifelong dream of radio was meant to be. He accepted a position with the Kansas City Royals serving as director of group sales and special events. He needed this sabbatical from radio to sort out his feelings and determine the future course of his life. He returned to radio in 1983 and by 1988, the Rush Limbaugh show became a nationally syndicated program.

Awards and Accolades

During his career, Rush Limbaugh was the recipient of several honors. According to Fox News, "Limbaugh was enshrined in the Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was a five-time winner of the National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Award for "Excellence in Syndicated and Network Broadcasting," a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author and was named one of Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People in 2008 and one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009." He received his most prestigious and treasured award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in January of 2020.

The Passing of Rush Limbaugh

His passing came as no surprise to those who followed Rush faithfully. Mr. Limbaugh learned he had stage 4 lung cancer in January of 2020. In his final broadcast of 2020, Rush revealed to his "Dittoheads" that he had outlived his prognosis. "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."

Rush Limbaugh passed away on February 17th, 2021 at the age of 70 years old.

Whether you l0ved him or hated him, Rush Limbaugh exemplified the meaning of chasing after your dreams. He modeled perseverance in the face of adversity. But more than these, even if a person disagreed with his political views, his love for America could not be questioned. Rush Limbaugh lived his dream life and would be the first to agree with this sentiment, "If no one hates you, it means you're doing something wrong."