Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, known for his question to Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign that projected him into the national spotlight, passed away on Sunday due to a battle with pancreatic cancer, his wife said. Wurzelbacher was 49 years old.
Following his confrontation with then-candidate Obama about tax policies and their potential impact on small businesses, Wurzelbacher earned the moniker “Joe the Plumber.” He became a symbol of the everyday American. The Republican party capitalized on his relatable persona during their presidential campaign that year.
In the preceding year, Wurzelbacher had received a Stage 3 pancreatic cancer diagnosis after experiencing stomach issues over a period of several months, as detailed in an online fundraising campaign.
“[He] fought long and hard, but is now free from pain,” his wife, Katie said. “When I met Joe he was already known by everyone else as ‘Joe the Plumber’ but he wrote something to me that stood out and showed me who he truly was: ‘just Joe.’ He was an average, honorable man trying to do great things for the country he loved so deeply after being thrust into the public eye for asking a question.”
Wurzelbacher leaves behind his wife and four children.
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