Kidd Kraddick's death mourned by music's biggest stars

In this photo provided by Desiree Cotton Photography, the Kidd Kraddick
in the morning team posed for a photo Saturday in New Orleans.

Around 10:30 tonight, news broke of the untimely death of beloved radio personality David "Kidd" Kraddick from a brain aneurism cardiac arrest* at the age of 53. "He was in New Orleans at a golf tournament organized to raise money for his beloved Kidd’s Kids charity,” KISS-FM owner Clear Channel said in a news release. "He died doing what he loved..." He is survived by his daughter, Caroline.

Kraddick moved from Florida to Dallas in 1984 and took over the night shift on the newly formatted top-40 station KEGL (The Eagle) and established a following. KEGL changed formats from Top 40 pop/rock to Modern Rock in 1992 and Kraddick was released. After eight months off the air, he was hired to a morning position at Top 40 KHKS-106.1 "Kiss-FM".

Kidd Kraddick in the Morning was born as a local radio program, and has survived through numerous cast changes. The two longest-running cast members are Kellie Rasberry and Big Al Mack.  The show is nationally syndicated in more than 75 markets and the American Forces Radio Network.

In 1991, Kraddick founded the 501(c)3 charity, The Kraddick Foundation, which is dedicated to helping impact the lives of children who have terminal or chronic illnesses or are accident victims. It consists of "Kidd's Kids," which takes a planeload of these children (age 5-11) and their families to Walt Disney World for 5 days every November. In 2010, the charity grew to include "The Glamour Squad" which visits hospitals around the country and provides a day of pampering inside the hospital for teenage girls. Listeners of the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning show donate money one day a year on "Kidd's Kids Day" to help fund these projects.

In the hours after his death was made public, KISS FM halted scheduled programming and let listeners call in to share their favorite memories of Kraddick.  At 11:03 PM Saturday evening, this official statement was posted on the Kidd Kraddick Facebook Fan Page:

Heartbroken fans began to flood the social streams with their disbelief and grief for this sudden loss. Among the mourners were many of music and entertainment's biggest stars. Here are a few of their posts:

Like many of you, I have spent the last twenty years waking up with Kidd Kraddick in the Mornings. I am devastated and heartbroken, not only for his family but for our family - the Dallas-area community who has lost one of its best citizens.

source: Wickipedia
* cause of death reported by Dallas Morning News