What a guy!

David Brudnoy was one of the greatest, fairest, talk-radio hosts in the nation, and an eloquent defender of libertarian philosophy as well. He died today at age 64. When I went to college in Boston, (Berklee College of Music), I first became aware of his show, and fast became a fan. Personally, his show made me challenge many of my own left-liberal premises that I had when I entered college.

Ten years ago, he nearly died from AIDS. He was hospitalized and was in a coma for nine days. He had hoped to live just five more years (he was being overly optimistic—doctors weren’t sure if he would live out the year). Then, by virtue of groundbreaking AIDS drugs, he got an extension on his wish. Up until last year, he was alive and kicking. Then he came down with a rare form of cancer that nearly killed him. But once again, he came back from the brink of deaths door; his cancer was in remission. But alas, it just recently came back and did him in. It was cancer, and not AIDS, that he died of.

See this news story about his death which has some great audio-links to his radio show. Also listen to this gut-wrenching (and heart-warming) goodbye that this agnostic man gives. Ready for death, he has no regrets and no fear. Gary LaPierre, the interviewer, hits upon his exact nature: Based on what he has gone through and how he has handed it, he is (was) goddamned tough. He typified Harvey Mansfield’s manliness virtue.

Goodbye David Brudnoy. You will be missed.