Ed Schultz, the broadcaster and political commentator has died at the age of 64. His death at such a relatively young age has a lot of people wondering about his cause of death. What was his cause of death? How did Ed Schultz die? The Bismarck Tribune reported that Ed Schultz died of “natural causes.” His stepdaughter, Megan Espelien, told The New York Times additional details, saying that Schultz had heart problems. The newspaper and other sites have not yet been more specific. The Tribune’s statement was attributed to sources. It had not been widely publicly known that Schultz was sick. He died “quietly” at his home in Washington D.C., according to RT, the Russian website where he worked. RT confirmed the news in a statement, saying, “We at RT America are sad to announce the passing of Edward Andrew Schultz. Ed Schultz passed quietly early morning on July 5 at his home in Washington, D.C. This announcement comes as a shock to all of us here at RT America.” Here’s what you need to know: Schultz, a Talk Radio Broadcaster Who Famously Switched Party Allegiance, Looked Well on Facebook Recently Schultz was a Democratic voice in talk radio after switching parties, and he also appeared on MSNBC and RT.com, a Russian website. On his verified Facebook page, Schultz had looked well early in June and May 2018. For example, he posted several photos of himself catching fish and he posted photos from a trip with his wife to Europe. According to The Tribune, Schultz became his career in Fargo, North Dakota in the early 1980s. He was also a former college football quarterback in Minnesota. In May, Schultz posted a photo showing he was in the Netherlands on a trip with his wife, Wendy. He last posted on Facebook on June 28, 2018, sharing a page. “Follow America’s Lawyer, Mike Papantonio, today!” the post reads. His Wife, Wendy, Was Diagnosed With Cancer Schultz’s wife Wendy has had serious health issues over the years. In 2012, Ed Schultz revealed on his radio show that his wife, Wendy Schultz, was struggling with ovarian cancer. “It’s been a real jolt to say the least,’ Schultz said to listeners at the time. “It shakes you to your bones. But she’s a tough girl, and she went through surgery yesterday. The doctors feel like they got all of it…but we’ve got a long way to go.” He also said that the diagnosis had put his family “through the ringer.” In 2013, Schultz announced that Wendy was cancer free. “It has been a long seven months for my wife, Wendy Schultz, and her battle with ovarian cancer,” read the statement posted by MSNBC. “After major surgery in July, followed by 18 weeks of intense chemotherapy, Wendy had a CT scan on Friday and the news came today (Tuesday) that she is cancer free. I know that she wants to thank all of you who have been so gracious with your prayers and support. And I can tell you my wife, who is not a very public person, through me is telling you that she is deeply touched and appreciates it.” Schultz Said He Became a Democrat Because of His Second Wife, Who Worked in a Homeless Shelter Ed Schultz famously converted from Republicanism to liberalism. According to The Washington Post, Ed Schultz “attributed the conversion to his wife, Wendy Noack, a psychiatric nurse who worked in a Fargo homeless shelter and later became his radio producer.” Don Haney, Schultz’s friend, told the newspaper, “The change was gradual, but Ed really meant it.” According to Biography.com, Schultz said Wendy led him “out of the right-wing darkness” by “introducing him to the homeless people and veterans at the Salvation Army shelter where she worked. With Wendy’s encouragement, Schultz also toured the Dakotas, where he sympathized with the plight of struggling farmers.” Ed Schultz Leaves Behind Six Children Biography.com reports that Ed and Wendy Schultz had six children. “Their son Dave is a professional golfer. Although a large family, the Schultzes are a tight-knit clan; they hunt, fish and even fly together,” the site reports. For years, Ed Schultz hosted the syndicated radio program “The Ed Schultz Show.” MSBC reported at the time that Schultz was “the breakthrough talent in an industry dominated by conservative voices. As an avid voice for the middle class, Schultz brings his hard-hitting style to msnbc.” However, Schultz and the network eventually parted ways. He was also an author of such books as “Killer Politics” (2010) and “Straight Talk from the Heartland” (2004). The New York Times reported that Schultz was survived by his wife, Espelien, son, David; “two other stepdaughters, Greta Guscette and Ingrid Murray; two stepsons, Christian and Joseph Kiedrowski; and 15 grandchildren.”<doc-sep>Broadcasting personality Ed Schultz, whose career took him from quarterbacking at a Minnesota college to national radio and television, has died. He was 64. His son, David Schultz, told The Associated Press that his father died of natural causes Thursday morning in Washington, where he anchored "News with Ed Schultz" on RT America, formerly Russia Today. Schultz also hosted "The Ed Show" on MSNBC from 2009 to 2015. Schultz was a standout quarterback at Minnesota State University-Moorhead in the 1970s. He went on to a career as a sportscaster at TV and radio stations in the area around Moorhead, Minnesota, and Fargo, North Dakota. He later became a conservative radio talk show host. But he was a fiery liberal by the time he took his show into national syndication in 2004. Schultz also kept a home on Big Detroit Lake in Minnesota, where his college coach, Ross Fortier, also lives, according to Larry Scott, the school's athletics spokesman. Schultz and his former coach remained close over the decades, Scott said. Schultz is survived by his wife, Wendy, and six children.<doc-sep>As news of his death spread, people shared their thoughts on a man who often waded into controversial issues. “I am very sad to hear of Ed’s death,” Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said in a statement. “He was one of the most talented and passionate broadcast personalities I’ve ever known. I appeared many times on his radio and television broadcasts, even filling in for him when he hosted a show on KFGO. Ed always treated me with respect and kindness and I will miss him. Kris and I extend our love to Wendy and their family and will be praying for God’s healing touch as they grieve and remember Ed.” “We are devastated by the news of the sudden death of our brilliant anchor, one of the best TV-Journalists in America, Ed Schultz,” said RT Editor in Chief Margarita Simonyan. “The respect that Ed commanded among viewers and among his colleagues on both sides of the Atlantic is impossible to overstate. He was an unconditional patriot of his country, an honest man without compromise. When the witch-hunt against RT America began and it was forced to register as a foreign agent, Ed set an example for all of us, saying: ‘Let them call me what they want, I am going to speak the truth no matter what,’” Simonyan added.<doc-sep>Ed Schultz, former MSNBC talk show host, died on Thursday. He was 64. Schultz died of natural causes at his home in Washington D.C., according to RT America, his most recent employer. A prominent television and radio broadcaster in the upper Midwest region, Schultz began his career as a sports broadcaster for Fargo-Moorhead television stations before working as the sports director at WDAY-TV. In the 1990s, Schultz transitioned to radio and served as host of a conservative talk show. He later changed his political views and became a Democrat. Shultz then became a prominent progressive voice on “The Ed Show,” which he hosted on MSNBC from 2009 until the show was canceled in 2015. After leaving MSNBC, Schultz anchored “The News With Ed Schultz” on RT America, a talk show that aired Monday through Thursday on the Russia-owned network. “We are devastated by the news of the sudden death of our brilliant anchor, one of the best TV-Journalists in America, Ed Schultz,” RT America editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan said. “The respect which Ed commanded among viewers and among his colleagues on both sides of the Atlantic is impossible to overstate. He was an unconditional patriot of his country, an honest man without compromise.”<doc-sep>
Former MSNBC host and liberal commentator Ed Schultz has passed away due to natural causes. He was 64. Russian-backed television network RT America, where Schultz hosted a show, released a statement on Thursday, saying: "We at RT America are sad to announce the passing of Edward Andrew Schultz. "Ed Schultz passed quietly early morning on July 5 at his home in Washington, D.C. This announcement comes as a shock to all of us here at RT America." RT America editor in chief Margarita Simonyan added, "We are devastated by the news of the sudden death of our brilliant anchor, one of the best TV-Journalists in America, Ed Schultz." Schultz got his start in broadcast media as a sportscaster in Fargo, North Dakota, in the 1980s. But after he eventually established himself as a conservative political pundit, he changed his views and became a champion of liberal causes. During an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2004, he referred to himself as "a gun-toting, meat-eating lefty." Schultz said that meeting homeless people in a soup kitchen was a turning point for him in the late 1990s, and caused him to direct his focus more to the plight of the struggling American worker. From 2009 to 2015, Schultz hosted "The Ed Show" on MSNBC — for which he was best known — before starting his RT America spot in 2016. In 2017, RT America was required to register as a foreign agent. Schultz reportedly said at the time, "Let them call me what they want, I am going to speak the truth no matter what." RT America news director Mikhail Solodovnikov said of Schultz in a statement, "He was a big-time professional and a tough fighter. Between us I always called him a 'gladiator.' He would never give up; he was always a winner."