> At a Glance
> – Michael Reagan, eldest son of Ronald Reagan, died Sunday at 80
> – His family says he passed “surrounded by his entire family” on January 4
> – Cause of death not yet announced
> – Why it matters: The Reagan family loses its most vocal keeper of the 40th president’s conservative legacy
Michael Reagan, conservative commentator and adopted son of President Ronald Reagan, has died at 80, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation confirmed Tuesday.
A Life in the Spotlight
Born in 1945 and adopted by Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman hours after birth, Michael Reagan carved his own path in Hollywood and talk radio. He studied at Arizona State University and Los Angeles Valley College before acting in shows like Falcon Crest and hosting The Michael Reagan Show for nearly two decades.
In two memoirs-On the Outside Looking In and Twice Adopted-he detailed a childhood marked by adoption and a later embrace of faith. His 2016 book Lessons My Father Taught Me distilled the elder Reagan’s wisdom for a new generation.
Philanthropy and Legacy Work
Beyond media, Reagan used offshore powerboat racing to raise funds for:
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
- Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund
He chaired the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation board for three years, fighting the disease that took his father in 2004, and advised the Mixed Roots Foundation on foster care and adoption issues.
> Family statement
> “Michael was called home to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 4th, surrounded by his entire family. Our hearts are deeply broken as we grieve the loss of a man who meant so much to all who knew and loved him.”
> Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
> “Michael Reagan lived a life shaped by conviction, purpose, and an abiding devotion to President Reagan’s ideals.”
Key Takeaways
- Michael Reagan died at 80; no cause given
- He spent decades promoting his father’s conservative vision through radio, books, and the Reagan Legacy Foundation
- His charitable work spanned health, adoption, and patriotic causes
- Reagan is survived by wife Colleen and children Cameron and Ashley
The Reagan family now turns the page on an era with one of its most outspoken standard-bearers gone.
