Famed conservative blogger and author Andrew Breitbart is dead at age 43.
Breitbart, who helped launch Huffington Post and was an editor at the Drudge Report, died unexpectedly from natural causes shortly after midnight at UCLA Medical Center.
The following statement was posted on Breitbart’s website this morning:
“With a terrible feeling of pain and loss we announce the passing of Andrew Breitbart. We have lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a dear friend, a patriot and a happy warrior.
Andrew lived boldly, so that we more timid souls would dare to live freely and fully, and fight for the fragile liberty he showed us how to love.
Andrew recently wrote a new conclusion to his book, Righteous Indignation:
‘I love my job. I love fighting for what I believe in. I love having fun while doing it. I love reporting stories that the Complex refuses to report. I love fighting back, I love finding allies, and—famously—I enjoy making enemies.
Three years ago, I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website. I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in. I’ve lost friends, perhaps dozens. But I’ve gained hundreds, thousands—who knows?—of allies. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, and I sleep very well at night.’
Andrew is at rest, yet the happy warrior lives on, in each of us.”
Breitbart wrote “Hollywood, Interupted,” a best-selling critique of celebrity culture, and his latest book “Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World!” was on the New York Times bestseller list.
He founded and published several news websites, including Big Government, the site which broke the ACORN child sex trafficking scandal, and the Anthony Weiner photo scandal that led to the New York Rep’s resignation.
Other websites include Breitbart.com, Breitbart.tv, Big Hollywood, Big Government, Big Journalism and Big Peace.