Eric Von, journalist and broadcaster for WNOV (AM 860) and the founder of the online men's health magazine Brain, Brawn & Body died Thursday.
Von -- long the leading voice of black talk radio in Milwaukee -- died of an apparent heart attack.
Von, whose full name was Eric Von Boardley, was 58.
"This will be a huge loss not just for the radio station but the entire community, particularly the African-American community," said Michelle Bryant, a radio host at WNOV-AM (860) who sometimes filled in for Von. "Eric was, for a lot of people, the voice of reason."
Von had joined WNOV-AM (860) in early 2015 to host a show that ran from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekdays. Before that, he had worked for years as director of operations and a popular radio show host for WMCS-AM (1290) before the station changed its format in 2013. He had also served as the business manager for Radio One in Washington, D.C.
Bryant said Von had passed away while on his back porch with his dog shortly before 9 p.m. His body was discovered by his wife, Faithe Colas.
Jerrell Jones, owner of WNOV, said late Thursday that Von had been struggling with health issues for some time and had a heart attack about a month ago. Even so, Jones said Von's death came as a shock.
Bryant said Von was part of many African-Americans' daily routine. "It's going to be a complete void without him," she said.
Recently, Von played a key role in Precious Lives, a media-led effort to look at the causes and consequences of gun violence on Milwaukee youth. He hosted on-air community discussions and public events, and was a part of many of the weekly radio episodes.
News of Von's death spread quickly Thursday night.
Sherwin Hughes, political talk show host on WNOV, said he received the news of Von's death during the Thursday Night Football game. An emotional Hughes said he first met Von in 2004, when Von invited him to be on his show.
"He was the first person to tell me that I had a future in radio," Hughes said. "I didn't believe it but he told me to stick with it and I did."
Bryant will serve as a substitute host for Von's Friday morning show, which she said will bring together some of his many guests in a tribute to Von's 30-year radio career.
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