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Cancer-stricken Rush Limbaugh targeted after he says he's 'under death sentence', Internet slams sick trolls

As soon as his statements came to light, reactions on social media started pouring in and not all of it was encouraging or positive

Cancer-stricken talk radio legend Rush Limbaugh updated his listeners about his medical condition on Monday, October 19 after his recent scans showed "some progression of cancer" and said that he can no longer deny he’s “under a death sentence”. In February 2020, Limbaugh announced that he was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, he even missed several shows that month, to undergo treatment. The news then had been met with a lot of negative attention. 

“From the moment you get the diagnosis, there’s a part of you every day, OK, that’s it, life’s over, you just don’t know when,” Limbaugh said. “So, during the period of time after the diagnosis, you do what you can to prolong life, do what you can to prolong a happy life. You measure a happy life against whatever medication it takes," he added.

“It’s tough to realize that the days where I do not think I’m under a death sentence are over. Now, we all are, is the point. We all know that we’re going to die at some point, but when you have a terminal disease diagnosis that has a time frame to it, then that puts a different psychological and even physical awareness to it,” Limbaugh continued. 

The conservative radio host also explained that he received bad news earlier this month during treatment. “The scans did show some progression of cancer. Now, prior to that, the scans had shown that we had rendered the cancer dormant. That’s my phrase for it. We had stopped the growth. It had been reduced, and it had become manageable,” he said. “But there’s always the reality and the knowledge that that can change and it can come back because it is cancer. It eventually outsmarts pretty much everything you throw at it.” Limbaugh said that his treatment program has been adjusted with chemotherapy drugs “in hopes of keeping additional progression at bay for as long as possible,” but he’s happy to be on the air while he can still do it. 

As soon as his statements came to light, reactions on social media started pouring in and not all of it was encouraging or positive, as one Internet user slammed Limbaugh for his conservative approach and said, "Limbaugh has been a plague on American discourse, helped establish the anti Clinton work AND when he wasn’t busy doing that he was an atrocious person who has had little respect for many people, including his ex wives. He doesn’t get our sadness because he’s dying." To which another person tried to be the salve and replied saying, "Thoughts and prayers are with you Rush. Those of who mock this, I’ll pray for you as well so that you won’t have such hatred in your soul when you have to meet God ."

Another wrote, "He's a terrible person, in so many ways. Yet I still feel pity and compassion for him, if I didn't then I would be just like him. I don't want to be that kind of person." While another said he felt no sympathy for the man and wrote, "Sorry Rush, but technically... we’re all under a death sentence. Get your sympathy someplace else... like the pharmacy." 

Looking at the barrage of hate tweets for Limbaugh, one social media user slammed the liberals and tweeted, "It is DISGRACEFUL seeing how those who claim to be the most "tolerant" are the ones wishing ill on Rush Limbaugh. Why do so many who profess to be liberals, seem committed to be so cruel to others? All because of political difference. As implied, they are anything but tolerant."

As more and more hate comments started pouring in for Limbaugh, one Internet user labeled the leftists "evil and vile" and wrote, "Leftists are evil, vile, people who have given up even the appearance of human decency. #RushLimbaugh #PrayForRush"

Limbaugh, who started his first national radio show in 1988 in New York, has been a dominant voice of the US’ right-wing politics and inspired the likes of Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and others.