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A man walks past a Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Arvada, Colorado.
Matthew Staver | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor died Thursday, the restaurant chain announced on its Facebook page. He was 65 years old.
Taylor died by suicide after a battle with post-Covid-19 symptoms, including severe tinnitus, the family said in a statement released by the company. Tinnitus is generally described as ringing in the ear.
“After a battle with post-Covid-related symptoms, including severe tinnitus, Kent Taylor committed suicide this week,” the family said. “Kent fought and fought hard like the former track champion he was, but the suffering that has intensified over the past few days has become unbearable.”
Taylor’s family said Taylor recently pledged to fund a clinical study to help members of the military who suffer from tinnitus.
“We will miss you, Kent. Because of you and your dream of Texas Roadhouse, we can say that we (love) our jobs every day,” the company wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.
The Louisville-based catering company announced on Friday that President Jerry Morgan will be named CEO after Taylor’s death.
“While you would never expect the loss of a visionary like Kent, our succession plan, led by Kent, gives us great confidence,” said Greg Moore, senior manager of Texas Roadhouse.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted Thursday that the city had “lost a much loved and unique citizen.”
“Kent’s kind and generous spirit was his constant driving force, whether it was quietly helping a friend or building one of America’s great businesses at @texasroadhouse,” Fisher wrote. “He was a non-conformist entrepreneur who embodied the values of never giving up and putting others first.”
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. at this link or by calling 1-800-273-TALK. The hotline is open 24/7.
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