Controversial former radio host Don Imus dead at age 79 The former "shock jock" host was 79 years old.
Controversial American radio host Don Imus died Friday, according to a statement from his family. He was 79 years old.
Imus died at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in College Station, Texas, where he had been hospitalized since Christmas Eve, according to a family.
"Deirdre, his wife of 25 years, and his son Wyatt, 21, were at his side, and his son Lt Zachary Don Cates is returning from military service overseas," the family said in a statement.
His show, "Imus in the Morning," was on the air from June 1, 1968, until March 29, 2018. Imus worked for WABC radio from 2007-2018.
Imus got into trouble in 2007 after he directed derogatory remarks toward the Rutgers University women's basketball team, calling them "rough girls" when talking about the NCAA women's basketball championship.
The "shock jock" was also known for his charity work, which included helping sick and dying children at his ranch.
Radio personality Don Imus appears on his last "Imus in the Morning" program, on the Fox Business Network, in New York, May 29, 2015. Richard Drew/AP, FILE
The Imus family said it would hold a small private service for "The I-Man" in the coming days.
United States radio personality, television host, and philanthropist , known to fans as the I-Man, died on Friday at the Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in , Texas after being hospitalized since , his family reported. Associated Press reported his cause of death as complications from . He was 79.
Don Imus publicity photo 
Imus' syndicated radio show '''' aired on various networks from 1968 until his retirement in 2018. The show was simulcast on MSNBC television from 1996 until a racial incident in 2007 and for several years up to 2015 on the Fox Business Network. He was once named one of ''Time'''s 25 most influential Americans, and was inducted into the .

Known as a  who made controversial comments, Imus was dropped in 2007 by MSNBC and  after he referred to the Rutgers University  as " ." He later apologized for the comment.

Imus is survived by his second wife , their two sons Wyatt and Zachary, and four daughters, Nadine, Ashley, Elizabeth, and Toni, from his previous marriage.

The family's statement on the death read: "Don loved and adored Deirdre, who unconditionally loved him back, loved spending his time watching Wyatt become a highly skilled, champion rodeo rider and calf roper and loved and supported Zachary (Cates), who first met the Imus family at age 10 when he participated in the Imus Ranch program for kids with cancer, having battled and overcome leukemia, eventually becoming a member of the Imus family and Don and Deirdre's second son".

Longtime ''Imus in the Morning'' writer and performer  tweeted: "He was a rebel, an unapologetic decrier of bullshit, a harsh critic of human behavior & yet an unfailing champion of the underdog, especially sick children. A hermit and humanitarian. Brilliant and maddening & someone you loved to hate and hated to love but when you told him you did he’d say you were a phony. Every professional success I’ve enjoyed is a direct result of my association with the I-Man. I‘m beyond grateful to him for being my boss, my mentor, & my friend. My heart breaks for Deirdre, Wyatt & Zach. Rest easy Cowboy. You’ve earned it."

The account for ''The Bernie and Sid Show'', which replaced ''Imus in the Morning'', hosted by  and , who both worked for Imus, tweeted: "I-Man. We salute you. You paved the way for us and many more. A radio legend indeed. RIP #Imus".

As of today, former coworker and long time rival shock jock , with whom Imus feuded, has not commented on the death on his Twitter account. However, earlier this year, Stern said in an interview with '''' he was open to having Imus as a guest on his show.

The family said they planned to have a private funeral service for Imus and asked for donations to the Imus Ranch Foundation, which provides support for families with children suffering from serious diseases.