Australian political icon Graham Richardson dies aged 76
Graham Richardson, former Labor senator and influential political commentator, has passed away at the age of 76. He made one final promise to his teenage son before his death.
Richardson fell ill with the flu in September, which developed into pneumonia, leading to his passing around 3:50 AM on Saturday. Before he died, he told his wife Amanda that he intended to live until their son D'Arcy completed his HSC exams. D'Arcy finished his final French exam on Thursday.
Announcement of his death
The news of Richardson's death was shared on 2GB radio Saturday morning by host Ben Fordham, who called in to inform listeners.
"D'Arcy and Amanda have asked me to share the news with everyone that, sadly, Richo has passed away in the early hours of this morning," said Fordham.
"In the past few weeks, he's had a bout of influenza and then pneumonia, he also had a little stint on dialysis, trying to clean up his blood a little bit."
Health struggles
Richardson had faced serious health challenges for many years. He was first diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and underwent bowel removal surgery in 2016.
Final moments
Richardson died after fulfilling his wish to live long enough for his son D'Arcy to finish his exams, demonstrating his dedication to family until the end.
Author’s summary: Graham Richardson, a revered Australian political figure, passed away at 76 after a prolonged illness, having dedicated his final days to supporting his son through important exams.