Jeffrey Vandergrift, San Francisco’s DJ and radio host for WiLD 94.9 (KYLD) was found dead on 24th March 2023, after one month of being reportedly missing.
According to the reports of KRON4, Vandergrift’s body was discovered by authorities on Wednesday around 5 p.m. in the San Francisco Bay close to Pier 39.
No cause of death has been determined as of yet.
The 55-year-old went missing just hours after he posted an alarming Instagram update thanking his followers, “a wonderful life-filed w joy, laughs, pain & struggle.”
He also changed his Twitter location to “the other side” before dropping off the grid.
Also read: Rebecca Jones’ Cause of Death: Mexico Shocked by the Loss of Their Beloved Actress
Shortly after the news of the radio host broke, the radio station posted a statement on Twitter in the honor of JV.
“ 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 radio station wrote. “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.”
JV, we will miss you. You are forever a Bay Area icon pic.twitter.com/9A6oGYHEkt
— WiLD 94.9 (@Wild949) March 23, 2023
On March 2, 2023, Natasha Yi wrote, “JV and I have always considered this community part of our family, so I want to let you know that personal information has recently been discovered that leads us to believe JV will not be coming back. I tell you this with incredible pain and sadness in my heart.”
View this post on Instagram
A day before he disappeared he hosted the DJ of the Bay Area’s WiLD 94.4. “The stuff I’ve been going through in my brain that they’re trying to figure out. Ugh,” he said during what would be his final show.
“The body and the pain and all that stuff, I can handle. What it’s doing to my brain I could never describe to you.”
In 2021, Vandergrift was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Since then, he had frequently discussed his continuing struggles with brain fog, dizziness, and depressive episodes with his listeners.
In September 2022, Jeffery shared a heartfelt Facebook post about his battle with Lyme disease and how many people with the illness end up committing suicide as a result of the excruciating pain they are experiencing.
He wrote, “As someone who is currently battling Lyme, I can tell you that most people that try to escape this world are not doing so because they are depressed. It is because of the daily torture that this disease puts the individual through.”
Jeffrey added, “The physical symptoms are brutal, however, once these microbes cross the blood-brain barrier, what it does to the brain cannot really be put into words.”
Fans wish the best for Natasha and Jeffrey’s family during this difficult time.