Beloved Radio Host Kidd Kraddick died in New Orleans on Saturday. Kraddick was attending a golf tournament organized to raise money for his Kidd's Kids charity. He was 53 years old.
Kraddick, whose birth name is David Peter Cradick, was best known for his hugely popular syndicated morning radio show 'Kidd Kraddick in the Morning' on KISS-FM in North Texas.
A statement was released late Saturday night from his family, through Kelly Kibler Owens, with Clear Channel.
It is with a very heavy heart, that I am sending you this e-mail. It has been confirmed that Kidd Kraddick passed away today in New Orleans at a golf tournament organized to raise money for his beloved Kidd’s Kids charity. He died doing what he loved, and his final day was spent selflessly focused on those special children that meant the world to him.
All of us at KISS-FM, ClearChannel Dallas, YEA Networks and the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning crew are heartbroken over the loss of our dear friend and leader. Kidd devoted his life to making people smile every morning, and for 21 years, his foundation has been dedicated to bringing joy to thousands of chronically and terminally ill children.
We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and his colleagues. At the appropriate time, we will release more information about the cause of death.
His death was first reported on Twitter by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
RIP Kidd Kraddick. You were an amazing man and a friend. You are already missed.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 28, 2013
Kraddick was originally from Toledo, Ohio and grew up in Florida. He first discovered his passion for radio when he was in the 10th grade while serving as the president of his high school. In fact, according to this bio on www.kidnation.com, his high school didn't have enough money to hire a deejay for the senior dance so Kraddick snuck his dad's stereo out of the house and deejayed himself.
Kraddick's deejayed in Tampa, Miami, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City before moving to North Texas. Kraddick moved to Dallas in 1984 and quickly made his transition to the morning drive. According to his bio on Kid Nation, Kraddick's show was syndicated in 2001 and is now heard in close to 100 cities around the nation. You can also hear the show on American Forces Radio.
In addition to his nationally syndicated radio show and appearing on the television show "Dish Nation," Kraddick is best known for his Kidd's Kids foundation. For over ten years the charity has provided free trips for seriously ill children to Disney World, along with their families.
Kraddick has one daughter, Caroline Cradick. She tweeted about her father's passing early Sunday morning.
I will never wrap my brain around my fathers passing. Please keep me and my family in your prayers and ask The Lord to watch over my daddy.
— Caroline Cradick (@CarolineCradick) July 28, 2013
Photo Credit: 106.1 KISS FM