‘Today’ mourns death of ‘superfan’ Linny Boyette

“Today� has lost its biggest fan: Linny Boyette, who made the trek to Rockefeller Plaza to join the show’s live audience nearly every weekday for the past 20 years, died Sunday due to complications from a heart attack. He was 71, according to “Today.�

The program confirmed the sad news Sunday night via Twitter, where Meredith Vieira and Willie Geist both mourned his passing.

On Monday morning, the show aired a segment remembering Boyette, a military veteran who lived in the Bronx. He boarded the subway every weekday morning at 3:30 a.m. in order to make it to midtown Manhattan by 5:30 a.m.

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There, clad in sunglasses and a hat, he’d read the paper and drink tea until the “Today� broadcast began at 7 a.m. Though he’d make the trip to Rockefeller Plaza regardless of the weather and could rarely be coaxed to come inside studio 1A, Boyette missed a few weeks due to health concerns.

Over the years, he grew close to the show’s on-air talent and was at Vieira’s side the day she announced her plans to leave “Today.� He also became a fan favorite and something of a celebrity himself.

“We actually get more viewer mail about Linny than any of our on-air team,� said news anchor Natalie Morales. “And we understand because we love Linny too and we’re certainly going to miss him.�

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Twitter: @MeredithBlake