PERRYVILLE — Kevin Russell, a local radio personality known to listeners as “KevyKev,” died Thursday, Oct. 9, after a weeks-long fight with the West Nile virus. He was 62.
Russell, who helped build and manage Classic Rock 93.1 KBDZ in Perryville, became ill about five weeks ago and was later hospitalized with a high fever that wouldn’t subside. His condition worsened despite intensive care, and he was placed on a ventilator before passing away Thursday, the station said in a Facebook post.
“For this small staff, this has been one of the most brutal things we’ve ever been through,” the post read. “Kevin basically built this station in the basement of his house and handled all of its technical operations. He was our ‘Sergeant Hulka’ — the big toe to everyone who worked here.”
Russell’s colleagues credited him with shaping the sound of Classic Rock 93.1 KBDZ, which simulcasts as 101.7 FM and reaches into the St. Louis area. The station paid tribute Thursday night by playing some of his favorite songs, including “Stairway to Heaven,” “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” and “Funeral for a Friend.”
Fellow broadcaster Paul Brown, a longtime friend, wrote in a social-media tribute that a radio beside Russell’s hospital bed played his own station’s music during his final days. “A lot of us prayed for a miracle and stood at his bedside,” Brown said. “Classic Rock saying farewell to a radio classic.”
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services recently warned of a rise in West Nile virus activity across the state. As of October, the department reported 16 human infections, 15 hospitalizations and three deaths statewide — numbers higher than usual for this time of year.
Health officials urge residents to take precautions such as using insect repellent with DEET, wearing long sleeves outdoors, eliminating standing water and keeping window and door screens in good repair.
West Nile virus is spread by infected mosquitoes. Most people experience no symptoms, but roughly one in five develop fever, headache or body aches. In severe cases — especially among older adults or those with weakened immune systems — it can cause brain or spinal cord inflammation or paralysis.
