Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan, died Tuesday at 80, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said. The foundation announced his death in a post on X, calling him “a steadfast guardian of his father’s legacy.”
In a statement, Michael Reagan’s wife, Colleen Reagan, and their children, Cameron Reagan and Ashley Reagan Dunster, said he was called “home to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 4th, surrounded by his entire family.” The statement added: “Our hearts are deeply broken as we grieve the loss of a man who meant so much to all who knew and loved him.”
The foundation did not immediately announce Michael Reagan’s cause of death.
Reagan was a contributor to the conservative Newsmax television network and was known for his talk radio program, “The Michael Reagan Show.” He was also a writer of multiple books, including autobiographical titles “On the Outside Looking in” and “Twice Adopted.”
Born to Irene Flaugher in 1945, Reagan was adopted just hours after his birth by Ronald Reagan and his then-wife, actor Jane Wyman. His life and work followed in his parents’ footsteps, including time in acting and later conservative media commentary.
After attending Arizona State University and Los Angeles Valley College, Reagan pursued acting, appearing in television shows including “Falcon Crest.” The report said he spent nearly two decades as a conservative radio talk show host, speaking about politics and culture.
Reagan also wrote “Lessons My Father Taught Me,” published in 2016, and he used his books to describe aspects of his childhood, including coming to terms with his adoption and his journey of faith.
The report said Reagan raised money and worked for charities using powerboat racing as a fundraising method for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund. He also sat on the advisory board for Mixed Roots Foundation, which the report said focuses on foster care and adoption in the U.S. and globally.
He served as chair of the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation board for three years, the report said, working on the same disease his father succumbed to in 2004. In later roles, the report said he served as president and chair of the Reagan Legacy Foundation, championing his father’s legacy.
Ronald Reagan’s legacy was described in the report as including efforts to scale back government and a presidency devoted to winning the Cold War.
\n---\nAI-generated by Main Street Independent’s News Article Generator framework (CC0). Human review status: not_triggered.