Remembering Kidd Kraddick: A Life, A Loss, A Legacy

It's hard to believe a year has passed since the sudden and tragic death of radio legend Kidd Kraddick. I've been thinking about this year and how much things have changed. Even 365 days later, it's still surreal.

July 27, 2013: We were in the middle of a serious and super-intense promotion: the Hands-On Boat-A-Thon. I'd spent most of my day in the heat in the parking lot of University Mall, and by the time I got home I was exhausted. I cleaned up and got ready for bed, but I could't go to sleep. As the Promotions Director of B101.7 and all of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa's radio stations, I wanted to make sure the Boat-A-Thon was still going smoothly.

I texted a few co-workers, got the green light, and tried to go to sleep. For some reason, I couldn't. I ended up wasting time on Facebook, Tumblr, and then Twitter. I scrolled through my feed and saw a tweet that I thought just had to be a hoax.

It said Kidd was dead. Impossible, I thought, It's got to be a prank. I still sent Greg a text (he was out at the Boat-A-Thon), and the two of us eventually received confirmation. It wasn't a stunt or some kind of cruel internet hoax: Kidd was gone.

The days that followed were hard on all of us; that week seemed to pass by in a haze--but the one thing I'll never forget was the overwhelming response from our listeners. Y'all shared with us how much Kidd meant to you, how he felt like a friend, how you'd been listening to the show for years, how sad you were--and how much you wanted to see the show go on.

Here we are a year later, and Kidd's still a part of our mornings--just in a different way. His legacy lives on with Kidd Kraddick in the Morning and, best of all, in each precious smile on the faces of Kidd's Kids. It's been a tough year, but we got through it together. Thank you for tuning in each morning and supporting Kidd's Kids.

I thought I'd close this post with something I wrote last year--it's my tribute to Kidd. It was hard to write (and kind of hard to read again without tearing up), but it means a lot to me; that's why I want to share it with you.

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I've been staring at this computer screen for what feels like an eternity, waiting for the right words to come, to pour out and form an eloquent eulogy for someone who meant so much to so many. But the emotions are raw, so my words will be, too. This is my tribute to Kidd.

Like so many of you reading this, I've never actually met Kidd Kraddick but I feel like I know him so well. He, Kelli, Jay-Si, and Big Al were there for every commute to work. He made me laugh. He made me cry. He was the kind of radio personality to which I aspired to be. He was so real.

He was so kind. His work with Kidd's Kids was incredible. Kidd's Kids Day was always so bittersweet to me. It broke my heart to hear the stories of children facing illnesses with such bravery, and I cried hearing those little voices on the radio later, all overjoyed to be with Kidd at Disney. In those moments, they weren't sick kids. They weren't different kids. They were just kids, normal, happy children enjoying a vacation.

Kidd gave that to so many children and their families. He didn't have to, but he chose to devote his life to helping others. He could have been content that he 'made it' in the radio business. He could have simply enjoyed his success and fame, but he didn't. He chose to help, to care, to always be kind.

I first learned of Kidd's death late Saturday night. I saw rumors on Twitter, and my heart sank when I heard those rumors were true. I didn't know what to do, so I crept into my daughter's nursery, picking her up from her crib and holding her close to me.

Then the tears came. Tears because I finally understood the scope of what Kidd Kraddick did for parents just like me. Tears because his death reminded me that I'm not promised tomorrow with my family. Tears because I didn't know how to feel.

So now, as we mourn the loss of our friend Kidd Kraddick, I ask you to honor his memory by making that choice as well. Think of how many lives Kidd has touched, how many lives he has changed as a result of his unwavering kindness--and then think about how many more we could change together if we all made the same choice.

Tomorrow is never guaranteed, and Kidd's death was a sharp reminder of life's harshest reality: it comes to an end. We don't know when. What if today were your last? What would you do?

Be like Kidd. Be bold, be brave, but always, always be kind.