Joe Wurzelbacher, otherwise known as ‘Joe The Plumber’ passed away at the age of 49 from pancreatic cancer, a source confirmed to the Daily Caller.
Wurzelbacher, who became well known during the 2008 presidential campaign after confronting former President Barack Obama about whether or not his tax plan would end up costing him more, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2023.
Conservative radio host Derek Hunter shared the news of Wurzelbacher’s passing in a post on Twitter on Sunday afternoon.
“Horrible news. My good friend Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, passed away this morning at the age of 49 from pancreatic cancer,” Hunter wrote. “He was a good man and an exceptional friend. Please consider helping his widow and young children here.” (RELATED: Joe The Plumber Likes Trump: ‘He’s A Winner)
Horrible news. My good friend Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, passed away this morning at the age of 49 from pancreatic cancer. He was a good man and an exceptional friend. Please consider helping his widow and young children here https://t.co/oFczc0urX2
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) August 27, 2023
Wurzelbacher, a military veteran who became a plumber in Toledo, Ohio where he confronted Obama was frequently mentioned during the debates between Obama and late Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain.
He had been receiving medical treatment an the Ann Arbor VA Hospital in Michigan as well at the University of Michigan Hospital, according to his GiveSendGo page.
“Joe had been having stomach issues for about 3 months, which eventually became painful. On December 26th, he’d had enough of the pain and we went to the VA emergency room in Ann Arbor,” Wurzelbacher’s wife, Katie wrote. “They ran tests and performed scans which showed a mass in the head of his pancreas. The mass was restricting one of his biliary ducts, so they classified it as Stage 3 cancer.”
Wurzelbacher leaves behind his wife, Katie whom he married in 2011, and their three children together.