Jamie Samuelsen, longtime host at 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit, passed away Saturday evening. Samuelson had been battling colon cancer since January of 2019.
He announced his condition last Monday morning on the radio. “Each morning since my diagnosis, I got up, turned on the radio mic and got to talk sports,” he said. “I needed the escape from cancer, just like so many of our listeners who face hardships, grief and illness, too — they turned to us in the morning for some levity in this crazy world. So I wanted to continue to have fun and not let cancer get in the way of doing what I loved.”
Marc Fellhauer, who now works on the Drew and Mike Podcast with Drew Lane, tells Radio Ink that even though he only worked with Samuelsen for two years he became a lifelong friend. “He was the smart sports talk show host, not one who had to yell and give hot takes. His sarcasm and dry wit were only overshadowed by his thoughtfulness and kind heart. If there’s one thing that I learned from him it’s that the radio business doesn’t always have to be cut throat. It’s not fair he’s gone. I’ll miss him.”
Samuelsen joined The Ticket in 2012.
He was surrounded by his wife, Christy, and three children, Caroline, 16, Josh, 14, and Catherine, 11, when he passed peacefully in his home. Services are pending.
