Paul Harvey
Wikipedia and Recollections by Steve Ritchie
Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009), better known as Paul Harvey, was an American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments. His listening audience was estimated, at its peak, at 24 million people a week.
Paul Harvey met Steve Ritchie in 1968, and a bond of friendship was formed. Harvey mentioned Ritchie’s exploits several times on his radio program.
Ritchie recalls the last time he saw his friend, escorting Harvey to Billy Graham’s 90th birthday party last November. “We flew back to Chicago late that night, and I stayed with Paul at his home in River Forest. We raided the fridge at midnight, downing fresh grapes from the freezer. Ironically, I always keep grapes in the frozen section of my fridge at home. We never knew that about each other but relished this tidbit of even more commonality.
The next morning we enjoyed a relaxed, late breakfast and some more frozen grapes. I prepared to depart for a flight from O’Hare to New York, but first I demonstrated a new exercise program, the ‘Perfect Push-Up System.’ Paul was eager to get started, so I outlined, on paper, a progressive workout schedule and promised to check on his progress weekly. Then it was time to say goodbye -- little did I know it would be the last time. As always, we smartly saluted and we repeated to each other one of his favorite phrases: ‘I’ll see you in a few miles.’ Now, I can always look forward to seeing my greatest mentor and dear, dear friend, Paul Harvey, ‘in a few miles.”
Upon learning of Paul’s death, Steve wrote, “My heart is very heavy. I’m having a hard time finding the words to express so many emotions and memories of the 41 years since we first met and the some 15 years prior to that when I became such a devoted fan. Without question, Paul has had more influence on my life, philosophy, thinking, speaking and writing than any single individual.”
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