New York Times columnist David Carr has passed away at the age of 58. He died suddenly, late on Thursday, Feb. 12, his newspaper has announced.
Carr, who was a prominent and popular media reporter, collapsed in the paper's newsroom, the publication's executive editor Dean Banquet said in an email to staff. He was pronounced dead after being rushed to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital.
“He was the finest media reporter of his generation, a remarkable and funny man who was one of the leaders of our newsroom,” Baquet added in his memo to staff. "He was our biggest champion, and his unending passion for journalism and for truth will be missed by his family at The Times, by his readers around the world, and by people who love journalism."
Carr joined the The Times in 2002. In 2008 he published his memoir about addiction and recovery entitled "The Night of the Gun."
As news of his death broke, celebrities and media notables paid tribute the popular journalist.
Anderson Cooper called Carr "a complete original" as he retweeted the news of his death. Arianna Huffington said she was "heartbroken about David Carr's death. Great journalist, but more important, great human being," she added. "Will miss him."
Josh Groben also took to Twitter. "Just one of the brightest and boldest. I admired his writing and HIS story so much. What a loss. RIP," he wrote, while Anthony Bourdain added, "This is turning out to be an awful, awful week. The Last Real Newsman," he wrote, referring to the fact that Carr’s death comes just one day after the passing of 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon.
Carr is survived by his wife, Jill Rooney Carr, and daughters Maddie, Erin, and Meaghan.
