A TV and radio host who branded Covid a ‘scam-demic’ and urged his listeners not to get vaccinated has died from the disease.
Dick Farrel, who was an outspoken critic of Dr Anthony Fauci, is said to have told friends ‘I wish I had gotten [the vaccine]’ before he passed away aged 65.
The right-wing host had described Fauci – the top immunologist and chief medical adviser to the president – as a ‘power-tripping lying freak’ who conspired with ‘power trip libb loons’.
He had urged people not to get the vaccine as recently as June, but reportedly changed his opinion about Covid vaccines after falling ill and later being admitted to hospital, where he died on August 4.
He texted me and told me to “Get it!” He told me this virus is no joke and he said, “I wish I had gotten it!”‘ close friend Amy Leigh Hair wrote in a Facebook post on August 4 announcing the news of Farrel’s death. She then urged her own friends to get the vaccination.
‘I was one of one the people like him who didn’t trust the vaccine. I trusted my immune system. I just became more afraid of getting COVID-19 than I was of any possible side effects of the vaccine. I’m glad I got vaccinated,’ Hair added to WPTV.
Farrel, who was born and raised in Queens, New York, moved to Florida where he worked for a number of stations, as well as a fill-in anchor for conservative news outlet Newsmax in 2018.
Mick McCabe, creative director of the radio broadcaster Hubbard South Florida, described Farrel as a pioneer ‘shock talk’ host, and as a ‘loyal friend both personally and to listeners here for decades.’
Farrel was known as an ardent supporter of former president Donald Trump, and perpetuated the unsubstantiated conspiracy theories of election fraud in the 2020 election that saw Joe Biden elected.
‘He was known as the other Rush Limbaugh. With a heavy heart, I can only say this was so unexpected. He will be missed,” Farrel’s partner, Kit Farley, wrote on Facebook, according to WPTV.
‘He fought like a tiger. Please don’t put off getting attention for this illness,’ Farley wrote on Facebook. ‘Yes, for some it has minimal effects, but others it is deadly. We will always love Dick Farrel, always appreciate his spirit, and miss him greatly.’
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the United States has seen over 35.8 million confirmed cases of the disease, with over 617,000 related deaths.