Dean Barnett: 1967 – 2008 (with updates)

Very sad news:

Hugh Hewitt guest host and Weekly Standard contributor Dean Barnett succumbed to cystic fibrosis today. He was only 41.

We’ll all miss his unique voice — “Chowda!” — and infectious upbeat humor. What a sad, sad day for his family and friends, and for his countless fans across the airwaves and blogosphere.

And as others are saying — remember that while struggling with an incurable illness his whole life, Dean Barnett lived his dream: being a broadcaster and journalist.

So: what’s your excuse…?

PS: I’ve emailed Hugh Hewitt, Ed Morrissey and others to see if Barnett’s family needs donations to help with his medical bills. Will let you know when I do.

UPDATE: Hewitt’s producer, Duane Patterson, says he will post information about all this at Hugh’s blog, as soon as he hears from Dean’s family.

UPDATES: posts by…

Jim Geraghty

Jim Treacher

Andrew Sullivan

and many more.

Hugh Hewitt remembers a friend and colleague…

Had he had more time, he would have been one of the great influences on the GOP for as long as he lived, probably because he valued and used every minute he had.

Dean told me early in our friendship that his disease had forced him to deal with the possibility of living too short a life and that he thus threw himself into everything.  This ferocious desire to live well and fully is what I will always tell people marked Dean Barnett.