Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012)

I was shocked and saddened to hear the news that conservative internet publisher and commentator Andrew Brietbart died unexpectedly in Los Angeles this morning. All of his websites are reporting that he died of natural causes shortly after midnight. Fox News reports:

Breitbart was walking near his house in the Brentwood neighborhood shortly after midnight Thursday when he collapsed, his father-in-law Orson Bean said.

Someone saw him fall and called paramedics, who tried to revive him. They rushed him to the emergency room at UCLA Medical Center, Bean said. Breitbart had suffered heart problems a year earlier, but Bean said he could not pinpoint what happened.

“I don’t know what to say. It’s devastating,” Bean told The Associated Press.

I certainly like many was a fan of his work and would frequent his websites often. I had met him in person once when he was in Pella, IA for the premiere of The Undefeated. On the Sunday before the Iowa Caucus I also co-hosted a radio show with Stephen Bannon and Brietbart was one of the guests via telephone. He was certainly a lively guest. His websites shared a new conclusion from his book Righteous Indignation.

I love my job. I love fighting for what I believe in. I love having fun while doing it. I love reporting stories that the Complex refuses to report. I love fighting back, I love finding allies, and—famously—I enjoy making enemies.

Three years ago, I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website. I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in. I’ve lost friends, perhaps dozens. But I’ve gained hundreds, thousands—who knows?—of allies. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, and I sleep very well at night.

It’s hard to believe that the launch of the “Brietbart media empire” (my term) was just three years ago. He has been described as fearless, and a happy warrior and I find both of those descriptions to be fitting. He will be missed. Please pray for his wife Susannah and their four children.

Since I just turned 40 and Brietbart was 43, his death is a reminder to me that each day we are given is a gift granted by God and should not be taken for granted. Acts 17 declares that “in him we live and move and have our being.” We never know when our time on this earth is up. Be sure that you are ready.