Boston Sports Radio Host Says A Call From A Listener Saved His Life

BOSTON, MA — Fred Toucher, co-host of 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich radio show, said in a statement shared by the station Monday that a recent call from a listener might have saved his life.

Toucher, who said his voice "has been messed up for a long time," announced that he is taking a leave of absence after a concerned viewer put him in touch with a doctor—a visit that Toucher says "didn't go great."

"He found some things in my throat that concerned him," Toucher said. "Not to sound dramatic but it is possible a listener saved my life by setting up that appointment."

Toucher wrote in a tweet on April 6 that thanks to a listener who "got him in," he was seeing Adele's and Steven Tyler's voice doctor the following day.

The next day, Toucher tweeted that an exam of his throat "found some things that aren't ideal," and that he was set to undergo surgery soon. He did not share any more details about his diagnosis, even in the full statement released Monday.

"If you stick around long enough there are going to be tough times," Toucher added in the statement. "It has been my pleasure to share my journey over the last 17 years with you guys. I knew that if I let you in on enough of my crap it would pay off one day."

Promising that he will be back "for sure," Toucher told fans that in the meantime, he will be writing for the station's website.

"So you will know what’s up with me if you choose to care," Toucher added. "Talk soon."

Toucher joined forces with Rich Shertenlieb to launch their own radio program on WBCN in Boston in 2006 after their stints working at 99x in Atlanta, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub's website. The show moved to 98.5 The Sports Hub in 2009 once WBCN shuttered, and is now considered one of the most successful radio programs in New England.