RIP Tunch

[steelreeling]

RIP Tunch

 

[Ike Kelly]

Man that progressed quickly. I am pretty sure my friend had that and she passed a while back. Just a nasty disease. Very sad news... RIP Tunch thank you for everything.

Yeah Slash. Unfortunately getting pneumonia is the worse thing to have with ALS. It exacerbates the disease aggressiveness on the respiratory system. Met Tunch and Wolf at training camp one year. They had their radio show set up on a table near the steps and Tunch and Wolf was talking to everyone who said Hi or good job. Hope Wolf gets through it ok though. Man, he and Tunch were inseparable.

 

[topseed]

Met him many times when I was covering Steelers' training camps from 04-06, and again on the Steelers' cruises. He was always friendly and upbeat, and generally nice to be around. It's a shame he's already gone in his early 60s.

 

[hamster]

I saw Tunch and Wolf walking down Carson St the one day. Everybody knew them and greeted them.

It was Pittsburgh in a nutshell.

This is what hurts.

 

[Stainless]

That's too bad. He seemed like a good guy.

 

[Steel G]

I can't believe it. I just got married yesterday, a celebration of which the Steelers were very much a part of. And now I learn of Tunch passing the same day. I grew up watching Tunch play and then loved listening to him broadcast as an adult. I can still hear him crying out, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!" on Jerome's fumble in the Colts playoff game in 05. The man's passion and heart were always 100% Steeler way. I was stunned by his diagnosis last year and shocked now by how quickly the end came. He was such a good guy. God bless him and his family, and especially Wolf.

 

[black and gold apex]

The man gave his all to his family, his faith and the Pittsburgh area. RIP Tunch

 

[steelhurt]

Wow! This all transpired so quickly. I could see his mental decline progressing last season listening to Tunch and Wolfe and was truly sad to listen to him decline. And as great friends and former football brothers do, Wolfe continued to cover for Tunch and keep him propped up on the show. Truly amazing friendship those two had and you know Wolfe is suffering through this.
Tunch was a man’s man no question about it. A great human and great family man who was a Christian. I have never heard a negative thing ever said about Tunch, only accolades and positive comments throughout his career. That is the footprint we would all like to leave on this earth. RIP Tunch Ilkin! You will be so missed.

 

[mightyguru]

The man gave his all to his family, his faith and the Pittsburgh area. RIP Tunch

He's pretty much the Pope of Pittsburgh. The outpouring of love and respect for him on social media is wonderful. Too soon Tunch...too soon.

 

[MTC]

Damn. Saw the news yesterday

 

[Ike Kelly]

Wow! This all transpired so quickly. I could see his mental decline progressing last season listening to Tunch and Wolfe and was truly sad to listen to him decline. And as great friends and former football brothers do, Wolfe continued to cover for Tunch and keep him propped up on the show. Truly amazing friendship those two had and you know Wolfe is suffering through this.
Tunch was a man’s man no question about it. A great human and great family man who was a Christian. I have never heard a negative thing ever said about Tunch, only accolades and positive comments throughout his career. That is the footprint we would all like to leave on this earth. RIP Tunch Ilkin! You will be so missed.

Nice comment all round Steelhurt, spot on regarding Tunch and his ambassadorship to Pittsburgh. However, must point out ALS is not a cognitive/mental disease, but a motor neuron disease that impacts the voluntary/involuntary actions of the nervous system. Memory and some cognition (dementia) can occur when the brain gets oxygen starved in certain circumstances. His speech was one of the first indicators of symptoms, it’s why he knew he needed to concentrate on battling the diagnosis with routine physical treatment and therapy. John Kolb even presided over his PT in his gym.

Definitely on the nail about Wolf. Very worried about his emotional turmoil from Tunch passing. After Tunch told him of his diagnosis, Wolf said he cried for three days because he didn’t know what to do. Tunch was his brother from another mother.

 

[str8liner]

Just seen this... Terrible news.

RIP Tunch.

 

[BAS]

I was saddened when Tunch announced his ALS diagnosis - as someone similarly suffering from that dreaded disease, I know all too well the fear and uncertainty that comes with it. I was shocked to hear of his passing, occurring way too quickly. I will miss his voice on gameday, and really miss his radio presence during the football season. For the past 20 years, I have had the good fortune to attend games in Pittsburgh and listened faithfully to Tunch and Wolf the following day on the drive back home to NJ.

There is no set timeline for life expectancy with ALS. PALS are told they should expect 3 to 5 years, given a 'script for Riluzol or Radicava, and told to make plans for the end. It's tragic that Tunch was taken so quickly, may he RIP.