Amy's Blog

You may not understand this if you weren’t a loyal Kidd Kraddick in the Morning Show listener.

On Saturday, I had a nice day of working during the day and then a trip out to the Legends with a friend. I was exhausted from several days of little sleep, so I came home and was in bed by 10, and for the first time in months, slept all night until 5:30 am. I’m one of those phone addicts that checks my phone as soon as I wake up -before I even get out of bed.

I had a text at 1:06 am from one of my best friends from college that said “My friend just texted me that Kidd Kraddick died? What?”

I thought, in my groggy, sleepy state, no way! There is NO WAY that is true -it must just be a joke as a result of the “death bead confessions” bit that they had been doing all week where they jokingly acted out what they would say to each other if they were dying. I immediately got on Facebook – the first thing that I saw was a post from a friend that said “RIP Kidd Kraddick..morning commutes just won’t be the same”. And I thought, NO WAY, NO way. Then I saw a post from another FB friend that said “…RIP Kidd Kraddick! Listened to your show for many years!” My stomach started to sink as I wiped the sleep from my eyes. I knew it was real when I saw one of Kidd’s mentees post a picture of him with Kidd with a caption that read “I love you Kidd. You were a friend, mentor, and father figure to me . Thank you for believing in me. Ephesians 1:16” Right after I saw that post, I came across the post from Kidd’s company with the official statement about his death.

Then the tears came.

David Dave “Kidd Kraddick” Cradick was a long time radio show host and philanthropist. He had been on the radio for years and started to get big after he moved to Dallas to host an evening show in 1984. He moved to mornings a few years later and his popularity soared. He had a pop culture show where they talked about current events, celebrity gossip, politics, religion, technology, movies, music, etc. all with their own spin and brutally honest opinions that the fans had come to appreciate. I have gotten most of my pop culture knowledge from listening to the show – that is how I discovered Twitter! I had been listening to Kidd and his cohosts, Kellie Rasberry, and Big Al Mack, and his producer Shanon “Psycho Shanon” Murphy since the early 2000s. I had listened through Kidd’s daughter’s Caroline’s upbringing-graduating from high school, then college, Kidd’s divorce from his wife Carol, a few cast changes, and ultimately a TV show. We saw Kellie through her courtship with Freddie, marriage, then infertility struggles, and finally the birth of her daughter Emma Kellie, and her subsequent divorce. We listened to one failed bit after another from Big Al, his struggles as a father, and his second son, Peyton, being revealed on the air to his coworkers and fans. Shanon grew up on the air and eventually came out, and then shared her struggle as she mourned the loss of her toddler nephew, Ethan, after a tragic accident.

It was great when I would meet a stranger – no matter where, if we had Kidd Kraddick in common, then we were instant friends.

Kidd, Kellie, and Big Al Mack were the staples of the show, but had various cohosts over the years. I loved Rich Shertenlieb (even though Kellie didn’t) and was so sad when he decided to pack up with his wife Mary to host a show in Boston. Then came J-si who was my age! Listening to the adventures of Jsi and Kinsey was so fun! My favorite time on the show was watching Jenna progress from phone screener to full on-air personality. I share so many similarities with Jenna, and we are the same age, I feel like I know her really well and have had the pleasure of staying in touch with her via email and social media and got to meet her on a trip to Dallas.

The point I’m trying to make is that I grew to know so much about these people whose voices I heard through my radio (or lap top, then cell phone, then ipad) every morning. The first thing that I’ve done every morning for the last 10+ years is turn off the alarm clock and then turn on Kidd Kraddick who is on from 6-10 every week day morning.

So, from 5:30 this morning until 12:30 this afternoon, I was glued to the internet. I had my cellphone, iPad, and lap top on Facebook, Twitter, and Google search to read everything I could about what the heck happened. How could a young almost 54 year old who spent a good part of his career reporting on the untimely death of celebrities experience the same fate to leave behind a beautiful 20 something daughter, a career, show, family, friends, and charity? Every source seemed to be saying that Kidd and his morning show crew had been in New Orleans this weekend and Kidd died while hosting a charity golf tournament for his charity, Kidd’s Kids which took terminally ill children and their families to Disney World every November. As of Sunday at 11:47 pm central, his cause of death had not been officially released, however there has been speculation and rumors.

I was beyond sad. I spent most of the entire day (with the exception of a short trip to brunch and a shorter trip to the grocery store) glued to the internet, reading news articles, tributes from celebrities and fans, and finally, even a few social media posts from his friends, colleagues, and radio family. I listened to the radio station in his hometown of Dallas where he got his start. They spent the day paying tribute to him. It was hard listening to his colleagues and fellow DJs get emotional on the air when they spoke of his passing.

I can’t come to grips with the fact that I am SO sad and grieving the loss of someone that I had only met once face to face for about 15 seconds. How is that possible?

Luckily, I haven’t had to experience death much. I’ve had a few class mates die over the years, a great-great uncle who died in his 90s when I was 7. Then my maternal grandmother died when I was almost 9 and that was very tough as a kid. Then other than a few classmates over the years, I didn’t really have to deal with death until my great uncle, my Grandma’s brother died and I was 24. My entire family was utterly shaken, and I felt a loss that I couldn’t quite describe. I remember not sleeping for several nights and one night, I called my grandma at like midnight or something. And she said, “Oh Amy, I guess you really haven’t had to deal with death as an adult”. She said a prayer with me over the phone, and we hung up. It was a hard time for our entire family. Luckily, that was 5 years ago, and with the exception of a few family friends and distant relatives, I haven’t really had to deal with death up close and personal since then.

And then today, I heard the news of Kidd’s passing. I felt an unexplainable sadness and a feeling of great loss. I listened to Kidd every morning and if I ever missed a show, I caught up on the replays on the weekends, so he and his morning show crew were a part of my every day. I felt sick thinking about the loss that his friends, family, and radio family were experiencing.

I remembered the times that I got to go to DFW and see his show. Every time I go to DFW, I try to coordinate it with a trip to go and see the show and I even love to stay at the hotel across the street from the studio.

I’m not sure if I will ever be able to explain why I feel the sadness that I feel, but I guess the best explanation is that although Kidd wasn’t family to me and I didn’t know him outside of the radio, he and his colleagues were a part of my daily routine and therefore, like friends and family to me.

RIP Kidd Kraddick, you are sorely missed.

KEEP LOOKING UP BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE IT ALL IS.