Thursday
Jan022020
In Memorium: Don Imus 1940-2019
Thursday, January 2, 2020 
Imus broadcast his first program from New York City back in 1971. His life journey has by some accounts been arduous, by other accounts a freak parade, and by still others as a matter for a RICO investigation. It began out in the great American West, California and Arizona, and eventually would make its way on across the country to Ohio and New York.
Imus was born in Riverside, California. Ranching was the family business and he was actually raised on a big cattle spread called the Willows near Kingman, Arizona. Don recalls that period of his childhood fondly and his familiar cowboy persona is completely legitimate. His irascibility appears to be equally legitimate, influenced by more than a few hard knocks along the way. If he revels in the agony of others, as he jokes, it may just be because he’s had a little of that himself. His parents divorced when Don was fifteen, he changed schools frequently, got arrested after a school yard fight, won election in secondary school as class president and was impeached, and, at seventeen, was pushed by his mother to join the marine corps as the best strategy to keep him out of jail. While it all added up to what Imus himself has described as a fairly horrible adolescence, it also disproves a theory that he actually had no parents and instead spawned spontaneously in dust clots behind the Laundromat dryers where one day he would seek shelter. When did all of these events unfold? It doesn’t really matter. And why annoy Don by asking?
Despite the occasional rough patch, Imus did spend a full twelve years in public school and emerged with no formal education…a product of automatic social promotion not even casually tied to merit. He graduated with no honors and no skills, a rare stroke of luck because a broadcasting career required neither. Difficulty continued to dog Imus after his school days: his undistinguished, infraction blotched stretch in the marines, onerous labor in a Superior, Arizona copper mine and a Grand Canyon uranium mine where an accident left him with both legs broken. There was work as a freight brakeman on the Southern Pacific railroad and a back injury suffered in an engine derailment and at one point the indignities of homelessness, hitching, being flat broke. Better, and worse days were to come. This quintessential American and often challenging personal passage materially defined Imus, instilling him with humility, a deep respect for our country and its workers, and a disturbing need to get even. He emerged from the experience with attributes that contributed enormously to the broadcasting distinction he would realize: an intrinsic, conspicuous authenticity, and a unique ability to connect with real people who work hard, serve their country, and care passionately about what really matters in the world.
Once Imus began broadcasting, fame and acclaim came quickly. He was showered with the laurels of radio celebrity including inductions into both the National Association of Broadcasters and radio halls of fame. He was the recipient of four Marconi awards, broadcasting’s equivalent of Hollywood’s Oscars. It got to the point that he would throw this or that slab of walnut with crystal crap glued to it against the wall of his office as a convenient means of intimidating horrified underlings. He was featured on television programs from NBC’s “Today” show to CBS’ “60 Minutes.” He was a guest of Charlie Rose, David Letterman, and of special note, Larry King, in shameless, mutual ass-kissing marathons that challenged the audience's gag reflex.
Don and Deirdre continue to run the Imus Ranch Foundation donating to other worthy causes helping children with cancer, autism and all the environmental health problems with our children. Don has raised hundred of millions of dollars for the Tomorrows Children’s Fund, CJ foundation for SIDS, Hackensack University Medical Center and America’s Veterans.
Reader Comments (558)
Imus made my long commute to work in nyc each day so much easier. From the minute I got in my car until I arrived at work, he had me hooked. He was intelligent, funny, sassy and REAL. It was obvious he had a soft side, a big heart. He leaves quite a legacy. God bless him and the two of you. May he Rest In Peace.
You were far from perfect but we’re always a shining example of why people are worthy of second chances.No one could conduct an interview equal to the ones you did, you went in with fair hard questions.You leave an amazing family behind, so much to be proud of.I pity the critics that really never studied and attempted to understand you.RIP cowboy thanks for doing it your way.😥
My condolences to the Imus family, you’re in my thoughts and prayers. I spent so many hours listening to the Iman! I love to still watch his show on YouTube, it brings back so many good memories. Bernie making Don laugh! Charles rants, Delbert and Levon’s music, Warner, Sid and Breen’s sports reports and the great interviews Don did. I learned a lot from them. The Imus in the morning show was so far above and beyond anything else on tv or radio! Don will truly be missed!
I grew up listening to Imus. He made radio funny and interesting.
I can't believe he's gone. Rest in peace.
I grew up listening to Imus. He made radio funny and interesting.
I can't believe he's gone. Rest in peace.
To the Imus Family- All my thoughts and prayers are with you and I'm sorry for your loss. I listened to Imus for many many years and he always made me laugh, made me smile, made my mornings fun. There were times I would be down and listening to him would cheer me up, especially when he would yell at Bernie or anyone. I got a kick out of it. I know he was a truly good man with a kind, giving heart. He will be missed. Thank you I-Man for all the joy you brought me over the years. RIP.
A life well lived is a beautiful legacy. A legacy that lives on in others makes that life extraordinary! Don, you were extraordinary!... in so many ways. Nothing will be the same without you! Everyone who has ever been a part of your life or heard your show is better, stronger, smarter, and has laughed way more than they ever would have because of you. I am forever grateful for your love and support. You are so deeply missed! Rest peacefully Don! Forever in my heart you will be.
Listened and watched you for more than 20 years, many of which you woke me up every morning. Read most of the books you recommended and learned from every interview you did. But mostly loved that you were honest enough to often say out loud, what I was thinking. You always made me laugh out loud and I loved your irreverence to the norms. I celebrated with you when Wyatt was born and mourned with you when Fred died. Missed you when you retired but was glad to follow you on Twitter. Thank you for all the years. My condolences to your family. Knowing how much I will miss your take on our world, I can only imagine how much you will be missed by your family. You will always be remembered. ❤️
A True American Hero
I don’t know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.
I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.
I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.
But what most people don’t talk enough about is what he did for all of us.
In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to
their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.
Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe.
Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease.
That was a miracle! He was a miracle.
I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.
I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirde’s life.
No one will ever do what he did.
I love you Don Imus
A TRUE AMERICAN HERO
My sincerest condolences to Deirdre, Wyatt and Zach.
Deirdre, thank you, as I was so fortunate to have met your husband.
The Iman was someone I shared my every morning with.
.
He gave perspective and much humor to everything he shared with us.
With his loving family and devoted fans, through his great heart and soul, he helped change the lives of so many children and their families.
I still miss Imus in the Morning.
Don Imus you are still in our hearts.
Thank you for the legacy you created and the lives that will continue to be improved.
Bonnie Eskenazi
My condolences to Deirdre, Wyatt & Zach. My whole family is so very sorry for your loss. It's been tough coming up with words to describe what it means to lose somebody that you respected, admired and loved. Don Imus was the most honest, dedicated and loyal person I've ever known. He was also one of the toughest individuals I've ever known. He always gave 110% and he expected the same of the people around him. If things got tough he would expect you to improvise, adapt and overcome. You never wanted to let the I-Man down because you admired and respected him so much. He would always tell me you can do anything and don't take any crap from anybody. Those are words that will stay with me forever.
I've never seen anybody work the hours he did, doing the radio show, and then work tirelessly day and night raising millions of dollars for the several children and veteran charities he and Deirdre supported. Don and Deirdre Imus helped improve the lives of thousands of kids, veterans and their families with the work they did, and I don't believe there are many people of his fame and stature that dedicated that much of themselves and their time to charities. I know of several people that are eternally grateful to Don Imus for launching their careers, businesses or just offering his advice on how to overcome their personal struggles.
On every phone call, he would talk about his family. You could hear the pride and the joy in his voice when he spoke about them. He loved Deirdre, Wyatt & Zach more than anything in the world. His family meant EVERYTHING to him! We would also talk about how much he missed his brother Fred. I will always miss Fred and not a day goes by that I don't think about him. There was never a dull moment working for them both and I'll miss all the laughs. I will always miss Don Imus and I will never forget what he did for me and my family over the many years. Rest in Peace Don Imus
It’s kinda strange grieving the loss of a person who I didn’t know, but that’s what I find myself doing. But in a way I do feel like I knew the Iman through all of the times listening to his radio show or watching on tv when I could. Some people didn’t get Don and his humor, but for those of us who did, it was so fun listening, made the mornings so special. I started listening in 1997. Don was younger than I am now. I guess his passing makes me think of my own mortality. He was bigger than life! I don’t like seeing my hero’s grow old and die, but I know that’s how life is! May God bless his soul, and may God bless the Imus family.
I listen to IMUS Clips every day. He was a genuine cowboy character ... Smart , Witty , Charming . I miss the program, the characters, I miss Fred Imus and Now Don . Special thanks to Harry Imus For keeping me up to date VIA Facebook messages. I've been to the gates of the Old Imus Cancer Ranch . I'm still shocked at your families loss and our loss . I'm sure it's a giant hole to fill around the Brenham Ranch . Best Wishes and my thoughts and prayers Be With You !
The written word does not flow with ease when it involves loss. On December 27, 2019 SKIP lost a dear friend and a part of our family. Every loss lands hard so I pay tribute to all of us who experience this part of life. The man I knew since 2003 came to support SKIP, certainly not because our non- profit was known to many people but because he, Deirdre and Wyatt believed in the mission.
I saw acts of kindness, I lived trips to see Eminem with one of our children, and Brant getting directions from the control tower less we get lost, I saw amazing warmth in the I-Man touched me to my very core. I saw love, deep love for his family and a selfless patron of children. He did so much to help our children and came to every event bringing his own natural flair to the event. He was not afraid to offer opinions but it came from the heart and cut through to the core, dumping my wordiness.
There is no way to say how thankful we are so I will hang this up just like Don did no need for further salutations we send our love and heart.
Margaret Mikol
Executive Director, SKIP of New York
Dear Deirdre and Wyatt,
My sincerest condolences on the passing of Don. I listened to him faithfully for years and he provided not only laughs but also extraordinary, interesting and insightful interviews. Please be consoled by knowing how much joy he brought to others through his show and his incredibly generous charity work.
I am friends with David Jurist and I know how difficult Don's passing must be for all of you. Sincerely, John Hoffman
My journey with the I-Man began about 28 years ago. I was going to a special school 1 hour from my house and my bus driver would always have Imus on the radio. I loved Eileen Marchese's voice giving the traffic report and wanted to meet her. It ended up one of the aides in my school was related to her and invited Eileen to my school in Wayne New Jersey to meet me. It was a very special day for me and the beginning of some of the best times of my life. I asked Eileen if it would be possible to visit WFAN where she worked to see the behind the scenes of the show and we arranged the visit. The day I went I got to meet her future husband Steve Cohen and the I-Man was finishing up his show. He had written a book and I asked him if I could have a copy. He signed his name and handed it to my mom. I was so excited to meet this man I listened to every morning on my bus ride. A few years later I heard about a center at Hackensack Hospital that his wife had started and wanted to meet her. My mom called her center and arranged a day to go meet Deirdre and her wonderful staff. The day finally came and we had a tour of the center and learned all about the greening the cleaning products. All of a sudden, in walks Imus. Deirdre had called him at the radio station and asked him to come over to see me. I was so excited. I asked him if I could come into his radio station one day to watch him do his show live. He said of course, anytime you want, you are welcome. He gave me direct numbers to Tom, then Carley and Matt. I used to leave my house in New Jersey at 4:00 and get to the parking lot 5:00. It was the best mornings ever. Imus always treated me just like anyone else. I was so happy to be one of his friends. He always wanted me to meet the guests and said I should talk to them in the green room. I met Levon Helm, the blind boys of Alabama, Tim McCarver, Cindy Bigelow, Mike Lindell,Mike Breen, Fred Imus, Bo Dietel, Jim Nance and a very special friend David Jurist and his wife Alice. There were many others also. Imus was with WFAN, MSNBC, RFD and others,
Wherever he went, I followed and was always given a big welcome to watch him record his shows. I got to become friends with Rob Bartlett, Tony Powell, Charles McCord, Karith Foster and many others. Levon invited me and my family to his midnight rambles which we attended 5 times and even were invited into his kitchen to share some stories. All the while, Imus was the kindest and most real person to me. I never wanted to be treated with sympathy and he never did. He spoke to me just like anyone else. There were times he put me on the air, he gave me one of his cowboys hats and even gave me a very special Eagles set of CD's. He always kept his promises. I saved my money and bought an acre of his ranch the day they became available. I asked if me and my family could visit the ranch and he said of course. We did get to visit 3 times and had amazing memories. Imus gave us a tour of the entire ranch and we also got to drive on a golf cart to get the real feel and views. We ate in the diving room with the kids who were there for the 2 week session and Imus, Deirder and Wyatt sat with us. Of course Imus complained the whole time about eating the healthy food Deirdre made sure he would eat to stay healthy. I got to meet Wyatt many times. Our friendship just grew and everytime I asked Imus for something he would say yes and keep his promise. When I had a birthday all I wanted was a belt buckle and he told me only the kid who won the rodeo got one. Every year I would ask him for one and always got the same answer. One year in the mail, I received a belt buckle and have it sitting on my shelf. My room is covered with so many pictures of Imus with me over the years, at the studio, at the ranch, at Kiss me I'm Irish,
Mohegan Sun, The radio-thons, many awards and fund raisers, Imus on Broadway, and so many golf outings. I loved Imus and Deirdre and will always treasure our friendship.
My sincerest condolences to the Imus family. Don came into my home, rode to work with me and kept me company every morning from 1971 until his retirement in 2017. I considered him part of my family. He taught me a lot about life and the world in general. Some people didn't "get him" but if you did, your mornings were filled with laughter. He will always be remembered for the tireless work he did for children with cancer and SIDS siblings at his ranch and for our beloved Veterans. Many tried to imitate him but NONE could duplicate him. I will miss him every day. RIP Don. I love you always!
Listened to the I-man for years, loved every minute. Miss him dearly, so sorry for your loss.
Thank you for the many hours of laughs and entertainment. I learned of Imus on WFAN as a 12 year old in 1988, driving to school with my dad. He passed away this year too... we used to howl when Bernie would wish Imus ill. It still makes me smile. RIP Don
So long old cowboy. My thoughts tell me you left this world on your terms. Hope you rode off into the sunset on a beautiful horse.
May your legacy live beyond your life and may Deidre and your son continue where you left off.
God speed ol cowboy. Imus in the morning!
A tiny bit of time has passed since Don passed away but when you think someone is eternal it all seems hard and unreal to accept. This is about the ache for Wyatt, Zack and Deirdre that pierces our hearts. The reality is that of course we are headed in that direction at some point but if you have had the fun love and joy of being together with Deirdre and Don or even near or close to a phone when they were in the same room they were one. Words do not matter they do not fill the gap that is obvious to all of us but the question remains how do we embrace all of the family the way they guided so many through that passage.
I remember when Phoebe lost her daughter, Valerie, We had a SKIP event and D and D felt the emotion so clearly and knew of their boundless love. People either tried to stay clear of her anguish but the D and D souls did not. Given that it was her first public appearance and all of the emotions were evident they responded. They felt Phoebe's broken heart and gave some of their own heart to her. Those true words they shared res were not lost but resonated because their words and own emotions came unchecked and were real and showed and understanding of what grief is. That of course, is what we would like to do for the Imus family but not so easy at all. If one thing is clear we need to dare to love each other in the same way they brought calm to those that knew them as a symbiotic family. Look at the pictures they tell a story.
I feel the mandate is to care for each of them the way they care for all of us. We have the music to dance to, the love of family. the hilarious memories, and add a little truth to the mission of living and comments that linger even now. A force to recon with that I have personally not tended to very well. So I will do better but those are empty words and I feel that you are full of BS scowl going right through me now. So we always can do better and I shall do just that but what we are all so thankful for is the taste of love and memories. M
I met Don when I was a kid. He was a friend of my fathers. When you are a kid, anytime your parents tell you do anything, you resist. Against my will, I was dragged along to various events. But whenever I would see Don, he always had a presence around him that made things exciting. He made wise cracks that made you feel welcome. That demeanor was how he treated everyone and was so effective with the sick kids he hosted at the Ranch. When someone gets sick, most start feeling pity for them or change how they treat the person. Don never did that. He would treat them the way Don treated everyone else and it gave them a sense of courage, and strength. He made them want to do better, and built up their self esteem. Those moments he shared with the kids had a lasting effect, and I know changed the lives of the hundred of kids he came in touch with.
Deepest sympathies to Deirdre and Wyatt. Don was an amazing supporter of children afflicted with cancer and developmental disabilities; he will surely be missed. His legacy is timeless and will live on in the Don Imus WFAN Children's Center at Hackensack University Medical Center; a building that stands as a permanent memorial representing his generosity and commitment to those most vulnerable. May he Rest in Peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this most difficult time.
Last week I left a heart felt comment about how much the Iman meant to me & I used my initials DW. A few days later, some person left some tasteless comments using the same initials and it just made me sick to think that anyone would think that I was the same person who left those comments. Don Imus meant a lot to myself and many other people. This is not the place or the time for such insensitive comments. RIP Iman we love you!
So sorry Deidre and Wyatt and family for your loss. I loved listening to the I Man! I watched his show every morning when I could and really enjoyed listening to him.
He was such a smart, wise man, and he loved his family SO much. Wyatt you were the apple of his eye! I do hope that Diedre and Wyatt find peace soon and know what a great
person Don was and he will be missed by all. Don had such a big heart as with his Children's Cancer Charity and all... I was so happy to donate to their organization.
Thank you for all you gave to us Don, thank you for the memories! RIP Cowboy!