The Passing of an Idol

The 2013 “Rockin’ New Years Eve” party will be short one smiling face this year. Television legend Dick Clark passed away Wednesday morning due to a massive heart attack following a medical procedure. He was 82.

Born and raised in the state of New York, Dick Clark began his illustrious television career in 1945 as a mailroom attendant for a local radio studio. He was quickly promoted to weatherman and later news anchor. Two years later he graduated high school and continued to excel in the business and in 1952 he accepted a position at WFIL, a television and radio station in Philadelphia.

Dick Clark’s career was set into motion in 1957, when ABC picked up “American Bandstand;“ a show that creatively mixed a studio audience with pop-star performances. Celebrities like Elvis Presley, Janet Jackson, and the Jackson 5 all made appearances on the show. Later, Clark would move on to form his own company and produce popular shows such as “TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes” and “$25,000 Pyramid.”

In 1972, Clark helped Americans count down to midnight as the ball dropped in New York City’s Times Square for the first time on national television. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” rang in the New Year across the country for 32 years until in 2004 when health issues forced Clark to take a leave of absence. He suffered a massive stroke that left him partially paralyzed and stripped of his ability to talk. Regis Philbin took his place the following year, and after that Clark passed his microphone on to American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.

In 2006, Clark returned to “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” with the same youth and boyish charm that had earned him the nickname “America’s Oldest Teenager.” He struggled to speak, his voice raspy as he addressed his audience for the first time since his stroke.

“Last year I had a stroke,” Clark said. “It left me in bad shape. I had to teach myself how to walk and talk again. It’s been a long, hard fight. My speech is not perfect but I’m getting there. I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”

Colleagues, fans and admirers of the legendary hosts have been paying their respects by tweeting kind words and memories of Clark. Ryan Seacrest, current host of “Rockin’ New Year’s Eve,” greatly mourns the loss of his mentor.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life. I idolized him from the start, and I was graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel,” Seacrest said in a statement Wednesday.

It is Dick Clark’s dedication, charm, and everlasting youth that will be remembered in the hearts of all the lives he touched. Dick Clark will eternally be the voice that rings us in to each New Year and new chapter of our lives for many years to come.