Guide Note

Luke Russert, son of the late NBC newsman Tim Russert, appeared on The Today Show on June 16, 2008. Russert shared memories of his father, who died suddenly of a heart attack on June 13, 2008.

Fast Facts

1. 22-year-old Luke Russert is the only child of Tim Russert and Maureen Orth
2. Russert's interview with Today host Matt Lauer lasted 15 minutes
3. Russert said the family was "holding it up as best as can be"¹
4. Says Tim Russert's father, 84-year-old "Big Russ," is aware of his son's death¹
5. Russert discussed visiting the set of Meet the Press on June 15, 2008
6. Says he will keep his late father's chair from the set of the NBC show "forever"¹
7. Russert says his father was a huge Bruce Springsteen fan
8. Springsteen dedicated the song "Thunder Road" to Russert and his family during a June 14, 2008, show in Wales²
9. Russert graduated from Boston College in May 2008
10. Tim Russert died one day after returning from a trip to Italy with his family

"I spoke to him at least two to three times a day. It had to do with the election coming up, sports, or just about life. There was always a lot of love from him. We would always hug. There’s not a day that goes by that I have not known my father loves me. For that, I’m eternally grateful."—Luke Russert²

"My mom is a tough-spirited, outspoken woman. I think that's why my dad loved her so much. My mother is one of the smartest people I know, and my dad was one of the smartest people I knew. She used to say, 'I took a bland Buffalo boy and turned him into a Washington pol."—Luke Russert²