Les Shapiro, a mainstay of Colorado sports broadcasting, has died at the age of 65. Shapiro passed away after a five-year battle with lung cancer even though he never smoked.
In a statement, Shapiro’s family said that Les was at home as his immediate family spent the last four days “joking around, telling stories, and reading him the messages you all sent.”
After stints in Phoenix, AZ and Peoria, IL, Shapiro spent the majority of his career in the Denver area. Spending 15 years at CBS affiliate KCNC in Denver before going to Fox affiliate KDVR, Shapiro covered such memorable Denver sporting events as the Broncos’ Super Bowl wins in 1997, 1998, and 2015 as well as the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup wins in 1996 and 2001.
In later years, Shapiro shifted to radio and worked for ESPN Radio and Mile High Sports. Altitude TV host Vic Lombardi was especially close to Shapiro. Shapiro mentored many people over the years and he mentored Lombardi. Lombardi, who survived prostate cancer, hosted a podcast with Shapiro called We Are Unstoppable, a podcast about “sharing inspirational stories from great athletes, celebrities, and the most brilliant minds in medicine on how to beat adversity to win in life.” Lombardi posted this video of Shapiro singing with his son.
Shapiro also spent lots of time supporting charitable efforts, being a host for events for Denver Health, The Lupus Foundation, Make-A-Wish, and the National Jewish Hospital.
Many paid their respects to Les and his family.
https://twitter.com/NickFerguson_25/status/1487549293015699456?s=20&t=sk06sq_JeRCe2cEkJBtk7A
[Denver Post/Photo: CBS]
About Phillip Bupp
Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.
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