KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri native and political radio host Rush Limbaugh  has died at the age of 70 following a year long battle with lung cancer. Limbaugh’s wife announced his death on his radio show Wednesday.

Limbaugh announced his diagnoses during his radio show on Feb. 3, 2020. The following day he was awarded the Medal of Freedom from former President Donald Trump at the 2020 State of the Union address.

Limbaugh hosted his show “The Rush Limbaugh Show” for 32 years. He was a Republican party icon and a close ally of Trump’s. Since his diagnoses, Limbaugh continued to host his show, only missing from time to time for treatment.

Trump once called Limbaugh “a major star who never wavered despite the Fake News Hits he has had to endure. His voice is far bigger than theirs!”

Limbaugh was born on Jan. 12, 1951, in Cape Giradeau, Mo. His paternal grandfather, Rush Hudson Limbaugh, served as a U.S. ambassador to India under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

He landed his first radio job when he was in high school for a local station KGMO that was co-owned by his father.

After high school, he briefly attended Southeast Missouri State University in 1971, leaving after one year of enrollment to pursue his radio career.

Following his time as a ticket salesman for the Kansas City Royals in the mid-1980s, he landed a job as a host at KFBK in Sacramento, Calif.. In less than a year, he became known as Sacramento’s top radio host.

He was divorced three times, marrying his fourth wife, Kathryn Adams in 2010.

Limbaugh was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993 and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998. Additionally, he’s a five-time winner of the National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Award for Excellence in Syndicated and Network Broadcasting.