A man walks past a Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Arvada, Colo.
Matthew Staver | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor died Thursday, the restaurant chain announced on its Facebook page. He was 65 years old.
Taylor died by suicide after a battle with post-Covid-19-related symptoms, including severe tinnitus, the family said in a statement issued by the company. Tinnitus is usually described as a sound in the ear.
“After a battle with post-Covid symptoms, including severe tinnitus, Kent Taylor took his own life this week,” the family said. “Kent has struggled and fought hard as a former track champion, but the suffering that has intensified so much in recent days has become unbearable.”
Taylor’s family said Taylor recently committed to funding a clinical trial to help members of the military suffering from tinnitus.
“We will miss you, Kent. Because of you and your dream of Texas Roadhouse, we come to say that we (love) our jobs every day,” the company wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.
The Louisville restaurant company announced Friday that President Jerry Morgan will be named CEO after Taylor’s death.
“While you never expect the loss of a visionary like Kent, our Kent-led succession plan gives us great confidence,” said Greg Moore, CEO of Texas Roadhouse.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer wrote on Twitter on Thursday that the city “has lost a much-loved and unique citizen.”
“Kent’s kind and generous spirit was his constant strength, whether he quietly helped a friend or built one of the great American companies in @texasroadhouse,” Fisher wrote. “He was an entrepreneur who embodied the values of never giving up and putting others first.”
If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts or self-harm, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at this link or by calling 1-800-273-TALK. The telephone line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.