Joe Wurzelbacher, a.k.a. “Joe the Plumber,” passed away on Sunday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Wurzelbacher made his political debut in 2008 when he questioned then-candidate Barack Obama.
Wurzelbacher, an Air Force veteran, is survived by his wife, Katie, and children, who are now 28, 10, 8, and 5 years old. Wurzelbacher became a political pundit representing the everyday worker who traversed the country and appeared on innumerable TV and radio shows. He was 49.
“Joe passed away earlier this morning and entered our Lord’s heavenly home,” said a post published on Sunday on a GiveSendGo website set up to help Wurzelbacher’s family. Joe wanted to move Katie and their children to her hometown where she would be surrounded by relatives because he had recently been too ill or in too much pain to get out of bed.
Just one week before Wurzelbacher passed away, the move of his family “put a huge smile on his face.” Katie thanked everyone who had helped the family get ready for his passing.
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“I won’t forget that smile he gave me,” she remarked. Knowing we were all bonded by family gave him comfort. And Joe received that peace from everyone who assisted us in moving.
His boldness in confronting a presidential candidate became legendary when he asked Obama how his proposed tax plan would affect small businesses above the $250,000 threshold.
“I’m getting ready to buy a company that makes about 250, 270,000 dollars a year. Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn’t it?” Mr. Wurzelbacher said.
Over the last year, he appeared less in public, choosing to focus on family and friends. Last month, Wurzelbacher stated that his cancer diagnosis had “changed his perspective” on life, causing him to put his family and faith before politics.
You never know what’s going on in other people’s lives since they go through stuff every day, he added. “Saying something nice… and expressing your intention to pray for them, it matters.
Wurzelbacher also talked about how stunned he was by a GiveSendGo campaign that, as of the time of this article’s writing, had raised approximately $131,000 in donations.
In response to the kindness shown to him, he admitted, “I just honestly started crying.” There are many wonderful people in the world. they want to do good, and the majority of people will when they can.
It’s amazing and really increases your faith in humanity, he continued. My wife and I sat there crying for a while and giving God thanks.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice