Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor committed suicide after experiencing long-term “unbearable” symptoms of COVID-19, the company said.
Taylor, 65, died on Thursday, the restaurant chain said in a statement.
The statement said Taylor was experiencing worsening post-coronavirus symptoms – including severe tinnitus or ringing in the ears.
“Our community and the restaurant industry have lost a legend, and the Taylor family has lost a wonderful son, father and grandfather,” said a joint statement from the company and family obtained by CNN.
“Kent fought and fought hard like the former track champion, but the suffering that has intensified a lot in recent days has become unbearable,” the statement said, according to McClatchy News.
Taylor lost his salary from March 2020 until the rest of the year to allow the funds to go to help front-line restaurant employees during the pandemic.
We will miss you, Kent. Thanks to you and your dream of Texas Roadhouse, we will say we love our jobs every day, ”the company wrote in a Facebook tribute.