Michael Reagan, the eldest son of former President Ronald Reagan and actress Jane Wyman, died Sunday at his Los Angeles home, according to a statement from his late father’s foundation.
He was 80. Reagan devoted much of his life to preserving his father’s legacy through his work as a conservative author and radio talk show host.
Michael Reagan died Tuesday at the age of 80.
For much of his public life, he was a vocal defender and promoter of the Reagan administration, which focused on reducing the federal government’s role in everyday life and helping bring an end to the Cold War.
“Michael Reagan lived a life shaped by conviction, purpose, and an abiding devotion to President Reagan’s ideals,” the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said in a statement.
Adopted by his parents just hours after his birth in 1945, Reagan later wrote candidly about the personal challenges surrounding his parentage in his book Twice Adopted.
Despite those struggles, he sought to follow in his parents’ footsteps. After attending Arizona State University and Los Angeles Valley College, Reagan briefly pursued a career in acting before turning to radio and writing. He was also active in philanthropy, supporting several charities, including the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation, which he chaired for three years.
