RIP Kidd

I had a few ideas about which I could write today, from the professional athlete who neglected to review the terms of his contract to my recent experiences that reminded me that I am not nearly as tough as the people who inspire me to the appeal of Dead Poets Society for me and my brother. However, when I got up this morning, I learned through a statement issued by a mass communications company that radio host Kidd Kraddick had passed away. I feel that deserves some attention.

For those of you who are not familiar with the name, Kidd Kraddick is the host of the early morning radio show "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning", which runs in this area every weekday morning on 105.3 "The Buzz". He is actually the leader of an ensemble cast that includes Big Al, Kellie Rasberry, J-Si, Jenna, and Shannon. The group also appears on the television show "Dish Nation". The morning show is humorous, diverse, friendly, and enjoyable. I listen to it every morning on my drive to BHS. The show maintains a standard in its content that includes keeping the show "kid-friendly" so that parents can listen to it with their kids in the car on the way to work. At the same time, the show is timely, sometimes edgy, always fun. The group plays off one another, they make fun of one another, and they seem to truly feel for each other on a personal level. They let the audience get to know them by opening up their lives. Listeners have gotten to know J-Si's wife, from Kidd's portrayals of her calling the show, J-Si's stories about her and his growing family, and her actually taking part in the show. Kellie has allowed the world to look in on her life, whether that be sharing her romantic struggles, her stories and skits that revolve around her family, or her allowing the audience her daughter Emma Kellie grow up. Big Al has to have trouble with ladies, because no matter who he is involved with, the audience is going to know every one of their habits and quirks. All who listen know of Kidd's love for his daughter Caroline as well as so many other aspects of his personal life.

The people on the show go beyond just making jokes and performing skits that make drivetime more enjoyable. The Kidd Kraddick show promotes a program called Kidd's Kids, which raises money and coordinates a trip each year for the several families of children with chronic conditions. The families are able to travel, by chartered plane and with the cast, to Disneyworld for a vacation. For many of these families, it is an opportunity to escape a issues that occupy their daily lives and allows the kids to be just that, kids. However, the show does not just stop with this single amazing program. Each year, they conduct "Breaking and Entering Christmas", in which people nominate families who are struggling for whatever reason, and the show arranges for that family to have breakfast one morning, usually with the person who nominated them. While they are out, Big Al "breaks into" the families home and sets up the ultimate Christmas. Trees, gifts, toys, the whole shibang. The "reveal" occurs live on the radio when the family, always one with children, returns home to discover what the show has done. Throughout the year, the show sponsors, coordinates, and presents a variety of other amazing programs. Sometimes, what the show does is not even part of the show. On Friday, Kidd read a letter he had received from a local woman who had been unable to purchase milk and eggs at the grocery store because she did not have enough money with her to cover the bill. A young man had demanded she let him pay for the items and then told her show had dropped something while looking for cash and gave it to her before hurrying away. He had handed her $200. She asked the cashier if she knew who the man was, and she said he was J-Si from the Kidd Kraddick show.

According to the statement from YEA radio, Kidd Kraddick passed away while attending a golf tournament. The tournament was being held to raise money for Kidd's Kids. I have no idea what the future of the man's show is, and I am sure that is not a concern at this point. I never met the man whose actual name was David Kraddick, but I, like so many other people who share their mornings with him, feel as if he was someone I knew, someone I would have liked to have as a friend, someone made life a little better for so many people each day and incredibly brighter for those fortunate enough to have crossed his path and to have been pulled into the programs.  Kidd Kraddick, you will be missed.