I grew up listening to Casey Kasem doing “American Top-40” on the radio.   He was someone who inspired me to get into the radio business.   When I was 12 or 13 I used to dig through the garbage bin of the local radio station and grab the old “AT-40” shows that were thrown away (the shows were on vinyl records back then).  I still have a couple.  That’s why this recent Casey Kasem saga, while amusing to some, has been kind of sad for me.

If you don’t know the whole story, about six months ago came word that Casey was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and later something called Lewy body dementia.  Bottom line, a guy who made millions with his voice was no longer able to speak.

In October 2013, his three adult children protested in front of Kasem’s home claiming that Jean Kasem (his wife) had been preventing them from having contact with their father for several months.  This lead to a battle in the courts between both sides.

Earlier this week, his daughter Kerri was granted conservatorship over Jean’s objections.  Then mysteriously Casey…disappeared.   Rumors say Casey was taken out of the country and the search was on.  The good news is that last night his daughter announced that Casey was found alive in Washington state.  A statement from his adult children said that they are grateful to the local authorities for finding their dad and they are one step closer to bringing him home.

Let’s hope the man who was brought joy to millions of people is now safe and will be properly cared for.  As Casey used to say to close out his countdown show “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars”.

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