For some, COVID symptoms linger long after they were supposed to from the virus. It seems that was the case for Kent Taylor, the founder, and chief executive of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain. In a statement, his family announced the 65-year-old’s suicide was connected to his previous bout of COVID:

“After a battle with post-Covid related symptoms, including severe tinnitus, Kent Taylor took his own life this week. Kent battled and fought hard like the former track champion that he was, but the suffering that greatly intensified in recent days became unbearable. But in true Kent fashion, he always found a silver lining to help others. Most recently, he committed to fund a clinical study to help members of the military who also suffer with tinnitus.”

Last May, Taylor made news when he vowed to give up his salary and compensation package, worth around $800,000 to help employees during the pandemic. People magazine writes, “He also contributed another $5 million to an emergency fund called Andy’s Outreach, which he set up for his employees 18 years ago to help with things like rent and mortgage payments, utility bills and funeral expenses.”

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell released a statement paying tribute to Taylor, who was from Kentucky:

“Kent Taylor didn’t fit the mold of a big-time CEO. He liked it that way. Kent built a billion-dollar company with creativity, grit and a lot of bold risks. When they paid off—which they almost always seemed to—he gladly shared the results.

From the cooks to the executives, Kent deeply cared about his team. When the pandemic threw everything into uncertainty last year, there was no question what Kent would do. Like always, he put his people first. He dug deep into his own pockets and covered healthcare and bonuses for thousands all while keeping his stores open to make sure workers got paychecks when they needed them most. These were acts of extraordinary leadership that were all very ordinary for Kent.”

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