Latest news with #Ruch
USA Today
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Loren Ruch, HGTV star, dies at 55 after leukemia battle: reports
Loren Ruch, HGTV star, dies at 55 after leukemia battle: reports Loren Ruch, head of content for HGTV and co-host of 'HGTV House Party," has died at age 55, according to reports. Variety and TODAY report that he died on June 12 of acute myeloid leukemia, citing a memo from Channing Dungey, chair of Warner Bros. Television Group, the parent company of HGTV. 'Loren was the rare leader who lifted everyone around him,' Dungey wrote to Warner Bros. staff members. 'Loren built not only hit shows but enduring relationships, serving as mentor, advocate and true friend to countless colleagues across the television landscape. His impact stretched far beyond the screen. Loren was the connective tissue of every room he entered — the glue that bound teams, departments, and friendships.' Her statement continued, 'Though gone too soon, he leaves behind a lasting imprint on both the television industry and the lives of those who loved him.' USA TODAY has reached out to Warner Bros. Television group for comment. As head of content at HGTV, Ruch oversaw various game, daytime talk and morning talk shows, including 'Celebrity IOU,' 'A Very Brady Renovation,' 'Property Brothers: Forever Home,' 'My Lottery Dream Home' and 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.' In his long career in television, Ruch also worked within the Discovery network on the Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country. Ruch was also a board member for the nonprofit organization Live Out Loud, which aimed to support LGBTQ+ youth by connecting them with resources, role models and opportunities within their community. Live Out Loud shared a statement on Instagram on June 13 in memory of Ruch: 'Loren Ruch was truly an extraordinary soul, and his passion and commitment to Live Out Loud will never be forgotten… He returned to his hometown high school to share his story, offering encouragement and hope to students who needed to see someone like him—someone who had walked a path of resilience and acceptance.' The statement concluded, 'Loren's legacy will live on in the lives of the countless LGBTQ+ youth he inspired, and in the hearts of all who had the privilege to know him. He will be missed more than words can express, but his light will continue to shine through the work we do in his honor.' More: James Van Der Beek, Jenna Fischer and the rise of young people getting cancer Ruch first shared his 'personal journey' with his fans in April 2024, disclosing on Instagram that he had been diagnosed with leukemia two months prior. 'It's a very raw and unexpected adventure, and not one I was initially planning to share, but I genuinely believe that the power of my beautiful community of family and friends is going to be what ultimately gets me through this chapter of my life,' he wrote. Ruch is survived by his husband, David Salas, as well as his parents and brother.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man Gets Diagnosed with Terminal Cancer. His ‘Dying Wish' Is to Volunteer in All 50 States
Doug Ruch, 55, of San Antonio, received news earlier this year that he has stage 4 prostate cancer He has since embarked on a mission to volunteer in all 50 states "I plan on continuing this mission even if I complete ALL 50 states as long as I have the strength to do so," Ruch tells PEOPLE A Texas man with terminal prostate cancer is spending the remainder of his life helping others all over the country. Doug Ruch, of San Antonio, is currently on his "Dying to Serve" tour, in which he plans to volunteer his time to help others in all 50 states. "This volunteer mission has already made a huge difference in my life in just over a month," Ruch, 55, tells PEOPLE. "I've met and helped so many wonderful people and organizations who have left a profound impact on me and my state of mind." "Tomorrow isn't guaranteed for any of us and now I get to live like there isn't one which everyone should get to experience before they move on to whatever's next," he adds. Related: When a Young Soldier Needed a Match for a Life-Saving Bone Marrow Transplant, Thousands of People Showed Up In 2021, Ruch was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had been fighting the disease ever since. Speaking with The Washington Post, Ruch said that over the years, he has spent approximately $80,000 on treatment, which included external beam radiation therapy. Then, earlier this year, he received news that the cancer had progressed to stage 4 and had metastasized. Doctors gave him 12-18 months to live. "I thought to myself, I have two choices. I can sit at home and wait to die, or I can go out and live," Ruch told ABC affiliate KGO. "So I decided I was going to go out and live — and that's why I planned this 50-state tour." Ruch established a GoFundMe to help finance his endeavor. 'My dying wish is to help as many people going through tough times as I can before I go,' he wrote in the fundraiser's description. 'Unfortunately, due to the broken United States healthcare system, I have spent my life savings just trying to survive these last few years,' he added. 'That's why I'm asking for your support. I realize it's a big ask as we all have our own burdens to bear but I truly believe that I can and will do much good with the time I have left.' As of Thursday afternoon, April 24, the fundraiser has generated $67,000 in donations. Related: Teen Born Weighing Less Than 2 Lbs. Is Now Volunteering at Same Hospital Where She Spent 77 Days in the NICU Since the start of the tour last month, Ruch has already volunteered his time in a number of states, bagging potatoes at an Idaho food bank and serving seniors at an Oregon community center, NBC News reported. Next on the tour, the San Antonio man will prepare and serve pay-as-you-can meals in Montana and assist a community cafe in South Dakota. Along the way, he has invited others to join him for each mission. 'I don't want to be some pseudo-celebrity, because I'm not,' Ruch told The Washington Post. 'I'm just a guy that needed to balance the scales and do some good in his life.' Related: Teen Volunteer Plays Piano for N.Y.C. Shelter Pets to Help Keep Them Calm — And She Takes Requests! (Exclusive) In his latest GoFundMe update, Ruch wrote that the donations have allowed him to purchase a new vehicle to take him across the country for the tour. So far, he has driven over 4,000 miles, according to the paper. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ruch hopes that his actions will motivate others to give back. 'If I can inspire hundreds or thousands of people nationwide to volunteer, even if it's three or four hours a month,' he told the Post, adding,'then I can die happy.' . Speaking with PEOPLE, Ruch believes the tour has already extended his life. "I feel the happy hormones and extra energy on the days I have a volunteer shift scheduled," he says. "I plan on continuing this mission even if I complete ALL 50 states as long as I have the strength to do so." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man Gets Diagnosed with Terminal Cancer. His ‘Dying Wish' Is to Volunteer in All 50 States
Doug Ruch, 55, of San Antonio, received news earlier this year that he has stage 4 prostate cancer He has since embarked on a mission to volunteer in all 50 states "I plan on continuing this mission even if I complete ALL 50 states as long as I have the strength to do so," Ruch tells PEOPLE A Texas man with terminal prostate cancer is spending the remainder of his life helping others all over the country. Doug Ruch, of San Antonio, is currently on his "Dying to Serve" tour, in which he plans to volunteer his time to help others in all 50 states. "This volunteer mission has already made a huge difference in my life in just over a month," Ruch, 55, tells PEOPLE. "I've met and helped so many wonderful people and organizations who have left a profound impact on me and my state of mind." "Tomorrow isn't guaranteed for any of us and now I get to live like there isn't one which everyone should get to experience before they move on to whatever's next," he adds. Related: When a Young Soldier Needed a Match for a Life-Saving Bone Marrow Transplant, Thousands of People Showed Up In 2021, Ruch was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had been fighting the disease ever since. Speaking with The Washington Post, Ruch said that over the years, he has spent approximately $80,000 on treatment, which included external beam radiation therapy. Then, earlier this year, he received news that the cancer had progressed to stage 4 and had metastasized. Doctors gave him 12-18 months to live. "I thought to myself, I have two choices. I can sit at home and wait to die, or I can go out and live," Ruch told ABC affiliate KGO. "So I decided I was going to go out and live — and that's why I planned this 50-state tour." Ruch established a GoFundMe to help finance his endeavor. 'My dying wish is to help as many people going through tough times as I can before I go,' he wrote in the fundraiser's description. 'Unfortunately, due to the broken United States healthcare system, I have spent my life savings just trying to survive these last few years,' he added. 'That's why I'm asking for your support. I realize it's a big ask as we all have our own burdens to bear but I truly believe that I can and will do much good with the time I have left.' As of Thursday afternoon, April 24, the fundraiser has generated $67,000 in donations. Related: Teen Born Weighing Less Than 2 Lbs. Is Now Volunteering at Same Hospital Where She Spent 77 Days in the NICU Since the start of the tour last month, Ruch has already volunteered his time in a number of states, bagging potatoes at an Idaho food bank and serving seniors at an Oregon community center, NBC News reported. Next on the tour, the San Antonio man will prepare and serve pay-as-you-can meals in Montana and assist a community cafe in South Dakota. Along the way, he has invited others to join him for each mission. 'I don't want to be some pseudo-celebrity, because I'm not,' Ruch told The Washington Post. 'I'm just a guy that needed to balance the scales and do some good in his life.' Related: Teen Volunteer Plays Piano for N.Y.C. Shelter Pets to Help Keep Them Calm — And She Takes Requests! (Exclusive) In his latest GoFundMe update, Ruch wrote that the donations have allowed him to purchase a new vehicle to take him across the country for the tour. So far, he has driven over 4,000 miles, according to the paper. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ruch hopes that his actions will motivate others to give back. 'If I can inspire hundreds or thousands of people nationwide to volunteer, even if it's three or four hours a month,' he told the Post, adding,'then I can die happy.' . Speaking with PEOPLE, Ruch believes the tour has already extended his life. "I feel the happy hormones and extra energy on the days I have a volunteer shift scheduled," he says. "I plan on continuing this mission even if I complete ALL 50 states as long as I have the strength to do so." Read the original article on People
CBC
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Man with terminal cancer aims to spend his remaining time volunteering in every U.S. state
When Doug Ruch received a terminal cancer diagnosis, he realized one of his greatest regrets in life is that he didn't spend enough time helping other people. "I spent so much time, you know, working and trying to make a lot of money, that I didn't do a lot of volunteering. I did not help a lot of fellow people," Ruch, 55, told As It Happens host Nil Kӧksal. "I can't go back and change that. All I can do is move forward with whatever time I have left." That's why the San Antonio, Texas, man is driving across the U.S. on a mission to volunteer in every state — a journey he's dubbed "Dying to Serve." 'Nothing to lose' Ruch, who spent most of his life working in sales, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021. He learned in January that it had spread, and his doctors estimated he has 12 to 18 months to live. That's when he started to come up with the idea for his cross-country road trip. Eddie Gallagher, Ruch's best friend of 30 years, thought it was a great idea. "I said, 'Why not, man? Go and do it. You got nothing to lose,'" Gallagher said. "I think it's fantastic what he's doing." So far, Ruch has volunteered with food banks, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, old age homes, youth centres and community centres in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah. He describes himself as a bit of a loner with a turbulent childhood who has suffered from lifelong anxiety, and says the whole endeavour has put him well outside his comfort zone. But volunteering, he quickly learned, feels good. "It's actually become calming. On days where I have volunteer missions, I feel really good and I'm energized. The happy hormones are flowing," he said. Angie K. Smith, executive director of the meal delivery charity Kitchen Angels in Santa Fe, N.M., says volunteering is not just good for the community; it's good for the volunteer, too. In fact, several studies have found links between volunteering or altruism, and happiness and health. Ruch stopped by Kitchen Angels to help out on March 25, and Smith says they were happy to have him. "We absolutely rely [on] and appreciate our volunteers," Smith said. "Doug is an inspiration and we support his message and we support him." Ruch, who is raising money for his trip on GoFundMe, says he's been getting a lot of attention since his story started making national and international headlines. "It's gotten really crazy this week. It has gotten nuts," he said. "I get a lot of emails from media requests and stuff and they're like, 'Hey, can you pass this on to Doug?' No, Doug is it. Doug responds to all the emails. Doug builds the website. Doug updates the website. Doug plans the stops... I'm a team of one." Asked if he would consider enlisting volunteers to help out, Ruch insisted that he doesn't want to burden anyone. But when his buddy Quan Khuu learned about Ruch's mission, he knew he had to pitch in. "I knew he was coming to California, but he wasn't going to stop in San Francisco. So I kind of made him [feel] guilty to visit me," Khuu said. Khuu and a few pals then joined Ruch for a day of volunteering with Project Open Hand, an organization that provides meals to the sick and vulnerable. Khuu says he's proud of his friend. "I'm glad that he's doing what he's been doing, and leaving a good legacy," he said. Ruch, meanwhile, wants to make that legacy last. He says he plans to turn Dying To Serve into an official registered charity that connects people to volunteer work. "The mission will be to inspire and educate people all over the country, if not the world, to, you know, micro-volunteer in their communities," he said. By "mico-volunteer," he means volunteering a few hours at a time. Giving back, he says, doesn't have to be a huge time commitment.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Given months to live, he decided to volunteer in every state
After learning in January that his prostate cancer had become terminal, Doug Ruch returned to his San Antonio apartment and reflected on one of his biggest regrets: Being too focused on himself, not giving enough to others. With about 12 to 18 months to live, Ruch, 55, considered helping Hurricane Helene victims in North Carolina or wildfire victims in the Los Angeles area. But that wasn't enough, he said, because he wanted to reach residents in all 50 states and D.C. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. He had spent most of his savings on his cancer treatment, so he decided he would launch a fundraiser and hope others would help him achieve his dying wish: volunteering in every state. Ruch received enough money to start his journey, so he packed all his belongings into his 2017 Chevrolet Malibu last month and headed north. He has since volunteered at food pantries, food banks, soup kitchens, senior centers, hospitality houses and other charity organizations in almost a dozen states and is now driving southeast from Seattle. He said he hopes to raise at least $42,000 and reach every state by the fall. Getting attention for it is slightly uncomfortable, he said. 'I don't want to be some pseudo celebrity, because I'm not,' Ruch told The Washington Post. 'I'm just a guy that needed to balance the scales and do some good in his life.' A terminal diagnosis, he said, can put life into perspective quickly. But his volunteering is not all selfless. Studies have shown that people who volunteer get a boost of self-esteem, feel more connected to other people and experience less depression. Ruch, who had not volunteered much before this year, said he has been battling prostate cancer since May 2021 and twice underwent external beam radiation therapy, spending about $80,000 on treatment. In late January, Ruch said scans showed his cancer, now Stage 4, had spread to his liver and a bone in his right leg. He said his doctor presented him with two options: Undergo chemotherapy and possibly live for about two years, or eschew treatment and die within about 18 months. For the following few days, Ruch, who's single, reflected on his life: what he felt he did right and wrong, what he could've done better and what he felt he should've spent more time doing - or less time doing, such as working. He wanted to try to improve other people's lives in every state, he said, so he decided against continuing treatment and quit his job in the rooftop solar industry. He jotted down his thoughts in a notebook to form a plan. He asked himself what he was doing. 'Serving,' he wrote. Then he asked himself why he was doing it. 'Dying,' he wrote. That's when Ruch's idea came together. He could start a project called Dying to Serve - he solidified the name after seeing an available domain name for the phrase on GoDaddy - and hope others would support him. He identified an efficient cross-country driving route on Google Maps. He started a GoFundMe in February that he shared on social media. 'Anything you can spare would be greatly appreciated and used to fund my travel, housing, volunteer efforts and medical necessities to keep me going as long as possible,' he wrote. He added that he spent his life savings fighting his cancer 'due to the broken United States health care system.' As his fundraiser spread on social media and raised thousands of dollars, Ruch created a graphic detailing his mock schedule, which looked similar to a sports team's schedule announcement. He signed up for shifts through JustServe, VolunteerMatch and other organizations that share volunteering opportunities. He moved out of his apartment last month and stuffed his red Malibu, which he nicknamed the Flash, with his belongings - clothes, three suitcases, two backpacks, his laptop, blankets, pillows, a massage gun to soothe his leg pains, energy drinks made with adaptogens and even a printer, in case he needed it. His first stop was a Dallas food pantry on March 17, when he sorted, packaged and distributed food. From there, he went to Norman, Oklahoma; Wichita; Pueblo, Colorado; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Southern and Northern California; Lake Oswego, Oregon; and Seattle. He'll visit Meridian, Idaho, and Salt Lake City this week. Ruch has driven more than 4,000 miles, he said, but his cancer forces him to stop to relieve himself about every hour. He has been sleeping at hotels and Airbnbs, keeping each stay around $100. He was exhausted after initially scheduling volunteer shifts every day or so, and he's now trying to complete one shift roughly every three days. He's taking longer, scenic driving routes, and he's scheduling other activities he enjoys - like attending a Seattle Mariners home game Wednesday. Regardless of his schedule, Ruch said he wakes up on days he volunteers 'so happy' and feels like he was 'shot out of a cannon.' His shifts are usually between two and four hours long. Still, Ruch said he sometimes has doubts about his project on days he doesn't volunteer, wondering whether he'll stay healthy, whether he'll raise enough money and whether his car will keep functioning. He has accepted help along the way, receiving discounts at hotels, Airbnbs, restaurants and car maintenance shops after sharing his story. A man in Fresno, California, who saw Ruch's online fundraiser bought him lunch and gave him $100, Ruch said. Ruch has raised more than $24,000. As Ruch's project has received more publicity in the past few weeks, a handful of people have volunteered alongside him. He has had notoriety at some organizations where he volunteers, he said, but he tries to deflect the attention. Ruch plans his travels a few weeks in advance, and he said he might reach the East Coast around June. He said he'll fly to Alaska and Hawaii. 'I need to finish this,' Ruch said. If he's healthy after visiting every state, he said he'll keep volunteering. Ruch hopes his project will spark a volunteer movement that'll continue after he dies. 'If I can inspire hundreds or thousands of people nationwide to volunteer, even if it's three or four hours a month,' Ruch said, 'then I can die happy.' Related Content Ja Morant dares the NBA to punish him, knowing it won't pull the trigger Scientists are 'X-raying' the Amazon, unlocking a lost human history The Smithsonian could be the beginning of Trump's plan to edit history. Or the end.
