Jamie Samuelsen with his family
Jamie Samuelsen, longtime host at 97.1 The Ticket, died Saturday evening at age 48, the station reports. He had been battling colon cancer since January 2019.
“Each morning since my diagnosis, I got up, turned on the radio mic and got to talk sports," he said recently. "I needed the escape from cancer, just like so many of our listeners who face hardships, grief and illness, too -- they turned to us in the morning for some levity in this crazy world.
"So I wanted to continue to have fun and not let cancer get in the way of doing what I loved."
Samuelsen, a veteran of sports radio, entered the Detroit radio scene in July 1994 at WDFN The Fan. He started at The Ticket in 2012.
"You know him for his love of the San Francisco Giants, Northwestern Football, and most of all, his family," the station wrote.
He urged listeners last Monday to get a colonoscopy before the age of 50.
“More people under the age of 50 are being diagnosed with colon cancer than ever before," he said. "Make sure you talk with your doctor — and get that colonoscopy."
He is survived by his wife, journalist Christy McDonald, and three children, Caroline, 16, Josh, 14, and Catherine, 11. They were at his side when he passed away at home.
Social media tributes include this from a WXYZ sports anchor and reporter:
Listening to Detroit radio, Jamie Samuelsen was so smart but not condescending.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) August 2, 2020
Every interaction and moment I had with Jamie, I felt like the cool kid in class was talking to me. But he never acted like he was above anyone. Gifted and humble. What a man. https://t.co/GaK7fuusD0
Fox 2 has this salute:
