HENDERSON, Nev. (KNX) — Harry Reid, former Senate majority leader and Nevada's longest-serving member of Congress, died Tuesday in Nevada. He was 82 years old. The news was confirmed in statements shared by Sen. Chuck Schumer and Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak.
"Harry Reid was one of the most amazing individuals I have ever met," Schumer said in a statement. "He was a boxer who came from humble origins, but he never forgot where he came from and used those boxing instincts to fearlessly fight those who were hurting the poor and the middle class. He was my leader, my mentor, one of my dearest friends."
Reid's death comes four years after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, according to The New York Times.
"He died peacefully this afternoon, surrounded by our family, following a courageous, four-year battle with pancreatic cancer," his wife of 62 years, Landra, said in a statement shared with Roll Call.
"We are so proud of the legacy he leaves behind both on the national stage and his beloved Nevada."
Weeks ago, Nevada state officials renamed McCarran Airport "Harry Reid International Airport" in honor of Reid. Following the honor he said since the first time he ever boarded a plane in 1958, the airport had been his gateway to the world.
"Home means Nevada, and for me, the airport long ago became synonymous with home," Reid wrote in a statement on Dec. 14. "Arriving here meant coming back to Nevada, the home where I was born and grew up, and where Landra and I have happily raised our children. I love this state."
Reid's love of Nevada was not lost on his colleagues. Following the news of his death, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said Reid was a "giant" who accomplished much on behalf of the state and its families.
"There will never be another leader quite like Senator Reid," Sisolak wrote. "Perhaps what I appreciate most about [his] legacy is he never forgot who he was or where he came from...he spent his life and career fighting the good fight for all Nevadans."
To say @SenatorReid was a giant doesn't fully encapsulate all that he accomplished on behalf of the state of Nevada and for Nevada families; there will never be another leader quite like Senator Reid. My full statement is below: pic.twitter.com/dYuy8xcxIv
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) December 29, 2021
