logo
twitter.com/TwitterMoments
twitter.com/TwitterMoments

T.L. Hanna High School Legend James 'Radio' Kennedy Dead at 73

Rodolfo Vieira
Dec 15, 2019
03:22 P.M.

To sports fans the name James Robert "Radio" Kennedy is more than familiar - it is a legend and the man has become an icon himself. That is the legacy that Kennedy leaves behind.

Advertisement

Kennedy, more commonly known as Radio, became famous after Sports Illustrated wrote a story about him back in 1996, which was the catalyst for the 2003 movie "Radio."

According to his niece, Jackie, Kennedy passed away surrounded by his loved ones at Hospice of the Upstate in Anderson County, South Carolina. He was 73.

James Robert "Radio" Kennedy entering the stadium before the start of the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina | Photo: Craig Jones/Getty Images

James Robert "Radio" Kennedy entering the stadium before the start of the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina | Photo: Craig Jones/Getty Images

Advertisement

NUMEROUS HEALTH ISSUES

Kennedy's cause of death is yet to be officially revealed but it has been reported that he suffered from several illnesses such as pancreatitis, diabetes and kidney issues.

Shortly before his passing, on Saturday afternoon, Kennedy was taken into hospice care where he was being cared for by his niece and some of the nurses.

Advertisement

THE BIRTH OF RADIO

Associated with the T.L. Hanna Football program since the 1960s, after showing up on the field as a teenager, Kennedy became a true legend at the High School.

Kennedy might have passed, but he left as an example of how love and kindness can make a deep impact on people's lives

Advertisement

Sheila Hilton, a former T.L. Hanna High School Principal, recalled how Kennedy's story began, writing fondly about him and how he got his famous nickname:

"At that time, he was a teenager, with a transistor radio seemingly attached to his ear, who could barely speak and had never learned to read or write. He was nicknamed Radio by the coaches and players."

Advertisement

Hilton explained that Kennedy, who had an intellectual disability, quickly became a fixture at football practices and started to mimic the coaches' hand signals.

HE WAS LOVED BY EVERYONE

Throughout the years, many players and coaches had the chance to meet Kennedy, a beloved figure within the town of Anderson, and there was always someone there to take care of him.

Advertisement

One of those people was coach Harold Jones, who befriended Kennedy. In fact, their amazing friendship was the focal point of the 2003 film starring Cuba Gooding Jr.

In order to pay their respects, several people took to social media to post pictures of Kennedy, paying tribute to the great man that he was and telling the world how lucky they were to meet him.

Kennedy might have passed, but he made the world a better place while he was still alive and left as an example of how love and kindness can make a deep impact on people's lives.

Advertisement
info
Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories!
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy
Advertisement
Related posts

Jackie Kennedy Could Dance 'Pressing Her Thighs' to Marlon Brando & Was Close With Robert F Kennedy

March 02, 2022

Jackie Kennedy 'Wasn't Naïve' of JFK Affairs & Wanted to Divorce Twice Though Stayed Married Until His Passing

February 13, 2022

Jackie Kennedy Was 'Much in Love' & Got Engaged before JFK — She Became 'Ice Cold' & Ended It within Months

March 03, 2022

Jackie Kennedy Did Not Want To Be a 'Sad Little Housewife' & Felt Hurt When JFK 'Never Called up for Weeks'

March 12, 2022

Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy's Last Love? Meet Maurice Tempelsman, the Man Who Stayed with Jackie to the End

May 19, 2022

Jackie Kennedy Did Not Leave Sister Lee Radziwill a Penny From $43.7 Million Fortune - Inside Her 36-Page Will

March 29, 2022

Inside '9-1-1: Lone Star's' Ronen Rubinstein Personal Life Including Coming Out & His Girlfriend

January 25, 2022

Mom Is Told to Give Up Daughter with Down Syndrome — She Becomes a Famous Star Years Later

May 17, 2022

Parent Hears a Creepy Noise in His Attic, Sets up a Hidden Camera to Find Out Who Is There

May 24, 2022

'Nancy Drew's Kennedy McMann Married Sam McInerney in Intimate Ceremony with Hopes for a Bigger Celebration

January 31, 2022

Inside Schwarzenegger & Ex-wife’s Longtime Home Where They Lived Amid His Affair With Housekeeper

May 10, 2022

Boy Who Lost Faith after Parents' Death Goes to Church for Help for the First Time in Years – Story of the Day

January 26, 2022

Who Is Willa Fitzgerald? The 'Reacher' Star Allegedly Dated Chef Gabe Kennedy

February 04, 2022

Angie Dickinson Almost Married Frank Sinatra amid 20-Year On-And-off Affair Yet Wed Man Who ‘Never Loved Her'

March 30, 2022