Long-time Kansas City Chiefs reporter Dan Israel has died at the age of 60 following a battle with cancer.
Israel, who worked every game the Chiefs have played since 1990 and was an executive producer on Chiefs Radio Network, was diagnosed with colon cancer 10 years ago before it recently spread to his lungs.
Kansas City television network KCTV5 first confirmed the news of the legendary reporter’s passing on Thursday, just over a month after he attended their Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans.
The Chiefs released a statement paying tribute to Israel later on Thursday, with chairman and CEO Clark Hunt saying: ‘My family and I are deeply saddened by the loss of Dan Israel.
‘Dan was an integral part of our organization for 35 seasons, and his work as executive producer of the Chiefs Radio Network helped bring the game to life for millions of listeners across Chiefs Kingdom.
‘Dan was dedicated, he was kind, and he brought joy into our building each day. Through his battle with cancer over the past ten years, these qualities served as an inspiration to his coworkers and Chiefs fans alike.
Long-time Chiefs reporter Dan Israel has died at the age of 60 following a battle with cancer
‘We will certainly miss him, and we will keep his family in our prayers.’
Back in February, two days before Super Bowl LIX, Israel told the station that he was putting up a fight despite the treatment taking its toll on him.
‘I’m beating it down,’ he said. ‘It’s not an easy fight, but hey, I’m still here.’
Dan added: ‘You have to have a reason to get out of bed every day,’ Israel noted. ‘The treatment itself can be overwhelming, very fatiguing.’
After the initial colon cancer diagnosis, Israel was told he had just 12 months to live by doctors. But he proved them wrong by living on for another decade.
Head coach Andy Reid also said following the news of his passing: ‘I was heartbroken to hear about the loss of Dan Israel.
‘Over the last several years, I watched Dan battle this disease with strength and a positive attitude. Dan was the first person I would interview with after games. No matter how he was feeling, he always put that aside to get that interview in with a positive spin for our fans.
He was a huge part of the Chiefs Radio Network and the Chiefs football team. I loved Dan Israel, and he will be missed by the Chiefs organization but never forgotten.’
