Casey Kasem, legendary radio host, dead at 82

"Early this Father’s Day morning, our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends"

Published June 15, 2014 4:49PM (EDT)

FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2003 file photo, Casey Kasem poses for photographers after receiving the Radio Icon award during The 2003 Radio Music Awards at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Kasem, the smooth-voiced radio broadcaster who became the king of the top 40 countdown, died Sunday, June 15, 2014, according to Danny Deraney, publicist for Kasem's daughter, Kerri. He was 82. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison, file)  (AP)
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2003 file photo, Casey Kasem poses for photographers after receiving the Radio Icon award during The 2003 Radio Music Awards at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Kasem, the smooth-voiced radio broadcaster who became the king of the top 40 countdown, died Sunday, June 15, 2014, according to Danny Deraney, publicist for Kasem's daughter, Kerri. He was 82. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison, file) (AP)

Radio icon and "American Top 40" host Casey Kasem died early Sunday morning, according to an announcement from his publicist and a Facebook post from his family.

"Early this Father’s Day morning, our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends," according to the post written by Kasem's family. "Even though we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering, we are heartbroken. Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. The world will miss Casey Kasem, an incredible talent and humanitarian; we will miss our Dad."

Kasem struggled with Parkinson’s disease and dementia for years, and is reported to have died from complications related to Lewy body disease, one of the most common causes of dementia.

Kasem is best known as the voice of "American Top 40," but he was also well known as the voice of Shaggy on "Scooby-Doo."

"They are going to be playing Shaggy and Scooby-Doo for eons and eons," Kasem told the New York Times in 2004, the year of his retirement from "American Top 40."

"And they're going to forget Casey Kasem -- unless they happen to step on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I'll be one of those guys people say, `Who's that?' about. And someone else will say, `He's just some guy who used to be on the radio."'

 


By Katie McDonough

Katie McDonough is Salon's politics writer, focusing on gender, sexuality and reproductive justice. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.

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