Conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh dies of cancer

Conservative talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh has died of cancer. He was 70.

The announcement of Limbaugh's death was made on his show Wednesday by wife Kathryn.

"Rush will forever be the greatest of all times," she said, also calling him "courageous" and "the hardest working man I knew."  

Among the first to honor Limbaugh was former President Trump.

"He loved his country and he loved his fans," Trump said on the Fox News Channel. "He is a legend."

Limbaugh was a pioneer in conservative talk news radio. He was battling Stage-IV cancer at the time of his death and had been off the air for about a week.

Limbaugh announced his illness in January 2020. Trump last year in his State of the Union address awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Former Trump adviser Boris Epstein within minutes of the announcement of Limbaugh's death praise his work and offered sympathy, calling his a "true American giant" and saying, "Rest in peace."

Limbaugh also had his critics, who disagreed with his conservative, occasionally provocative political views. 

Sean Hannity, who hosts a conservative-leaning commentary show for the Fox channel, said, "There is no talk radio as we know it without Rush Limbaugh. ... just heartbreaking."

Hannity who got his start in talk radio also said: "He loved this country he is a patriot. My whole career benefited from his great success. ... I learned from him."