Kidd Kraddick
David Peter Cradick[2] (August 22, 1959 – July 27, 2013) was an American radio host and television personality, known as Kidd Kraddick. His nationally syndicated morning radio show, The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, is based in Irving, Texas, and aired throughout the United States, syndicated by Kraddick's company, YEA Networks.[3][4] He was also seen on the nationally syndicated Dish Nation television show weeknights around the United States.[3]
Kidd Kraddick
July 27, 2013 (aged 53)
KHKS (home station) or Syndicated: 70+ affiliates
Weekdays, 6-9 a.m. Central
United States
Early life[edit]
Kraddick was born in Napoleon, Ohio[1] and grew up in Dunedin, Florida.[5] His first radio position was in Tampa.[1] He later worked in Fresno, California (KYNO-FM), Miami, Salt Lake City (KAYK & KLRZ), and Los Angeles (KHTZ),[1] where he also worked comedy clubs as an emcee.[6]
Other[edit]
In the early 1990s, Kraddick launched two radio oriented businesses. A monthly publication for morning personalities called "The Morning Mouth" and a show prep "sharing service" for air personalities called "BitBoard".[12] Kraddick subsequently sold both entities; BitBoard is now operated by Clear Channel Communications[13] and The Morning Mouth is owned and operated by Talentmasters in Atlanta.[14]
In 1991, he founded a charity organization named Kidd's Kids, with the mission to "provide hope and happiness by creating beautiful memories
for families of children with life-altering or life-threatening conditions." What initially began as a bus ride to Sea World in San Antonio expanded into a family trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando for over a thousand children.[15]
Personal life[edit]
Kraddick attended the University of Miami for a semester, but dropped out to study broadcasting.[16] Kraddick was Catholic. He and his wife, Carol, were separated in 2007 and divorced in April 2008. They had one daughter, Caroline.[17] He had planned on remarrying in the near future to Lissi Mullen to whom he was engaged the week before his death. They had been together over two years.
In 2009, Kraddick was diagnosed with lymphoma, which he kept hidden from his coworkers and family.[18]
Death[edit]
Kraddick died on July 27, 2013, while attending an annual fundraiser for his charity, Kidd's Kids, at Timberlane Country Club in Gretna, Louisiana. Jefferson Parish Deputy Coroner Granville Morse said heart disease was "evident" and that drug use and foul play were not suspected, according to his findings after a routine autopsy. Morse said Kraddick had an enlarged heart. He also had three diseased vessels and one of his arteries had an 80 percent blockage. In early August 2013, the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office concluded Kraddick's cause of death was arteriosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.[8][19][20][21][22]