The body of San Francisco radio host Jeffrey Vandergrift was found at Pier 39 on Wednesday, nearly one month after he went missing. He was 55.
The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed his death to Variety in a statement, while Vandergrift’s radio station confirmed the loss on Thursday in a statement posted to their website and social media.
“With a heavy heart, we must confirm that the body found near Pier 39 on Wednesday afternoon has been identified as our dear friend, family member & colleague, JV,” the statement reads. “We are devastated to know now that JV is gone. Please keep his wife Natasha, his family, and close friends in your thoughts and prayers.”
The radio personality had built a following on his Wild 94.9 morning show, “The JV Show.” Since 2021, he had been sharing details of his health troubles on-air, where he eventually confirmed his Lyme disease diagnosis.
Vandergrift was last seen at his San Fransisco residence on Feb. 23 and at the time, he was considered “at-risk,” according to a statement posted to the police department’s official Facebook account.
Natasha Yi, his wife and co-host, additionally addressed her husband’s disappearance the following week. In a statement posted to Wild 94.9’s Twitter account, Yi thanked “the entire iHeartRadio family” and noted that Vandergrift had been undergoing “physical torture” for the past two years and believed he would not be coming back.
“I tell you this with incredible pain and sadness in my heart,” she wrote. “No foul play is suspected in his disappearance.”
Vandergrift was born and raised in the bay area and was known for “[treating listeners] to a daily mix of pranks and laughs and a colorful cast of characters,” according to a remembrance post uploaded to the Wild 94.9 website. On “The JV Show,” Vandergrift was joined by his Yi, co-host Selena and producer Graham.