R.I.P.: John O'Brien, Longtime WAQY Springfield, MA Morning Host

John O'Brien ('60-'25)

John O’Brien, the beloved voice of western Massachusetts radio and co-host of WAQY Rock 102’s “Bax and O’Brien” morning show for decades, has died at age 65 following a long fight with metastatic melanoma.

O’Brien revealed in an interview last month that he had been diagnosed with melanoma four times over 14 years, with the most recent being stage-four cancer that spread to his lungs, liver, and other organs. His doctor gave him six to twelve months to live, and he had entered hospice care. He passed away nearly a month after that interview aired.

A 40-year radio veteran, O’Brien was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasting Hall of Fame just a few years ago for his impact on the region.

As tributes pour in, Rock 102’s 32nd annual Mayflower Marathon food drive—benefiting Springfield’s Open Pantry—kicked off Monday at MGM Springfield. Morning hosts Bax & Nagle are broadcasting live for 52 hours, collecting non-perishable food donations. Many are honoring O’Brien by contributing, with one listener writing, “A great way to honor him; donate to The Mayflower Marathon. His Spirit is there today.”

Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi posted on social media: “It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my dear friend, John O’Brien… He was a true friend, a loyal conversationalist, a man of warmth and wit, and someone whose larger-than-life radio persona masked a genuine kindness.”