Founder of Texas Roadhouse, Kent Taylor dies at 65 after struggling with post Covid symptoms

Founder of restaurant chain Texas Roadhouse died on Thursday, at the age of 65, after taking his own life due to post-Covid struggle, the restaurant chain wrote on its Facebook page.

According to his family, Taylor took his own life after a long battle with Covid-related symptoms. Including severe tinnitus – a ringing in the ear.

“After a battle with post-Covid related symptoms, including severe tinnitus, Kent Taylor took his own life this week, the family said in a statement. “Kent battled and fought hard like the former track champion that he was, but the suffering that greatly intensified in recent days became unbearable.”

The statement carried that Taylor battled with the symptoms for many days until it became unbearable. Without suspecting the Taylor would commit suicide, his body was found in a field on his property near Louisville, according to the Kentucky State Police.

The family also mentioned that Taylor, before his death, committed to fund a clinical study on tinnitus to help members of the military who suffer from it.

The announcement of the new CEO of the Louisville-based restaurant followed the company’s announcement of the death of Taylor. President, Jerry Morgan will be named the new CEO of Texas Roadhouse.

Many notable persons have extended their sympathies to the Taylor family, and expressed their thoughts about the deceased Louisville Mayor, Greg Fischer described Taylor as “one-of-a-kind citizen” the city has lost.

“Kent’s kind and generous spirit was his constant driving force whether it was quietly helping a friend or building one of America’s great companies in @texasroadhouse,” Fischer wrote. “He was a maverick entrepreneur who embodied the values of never giving up and putting others first.”

Before his death, Taylor was actively engaged in the day-to-day operations of Texas Roadhouse, the company said. He personally reviewed the menu, selected the murals for the restaurants and the songs for the jukeboxes. He was also the chairman of the company’s board of directors.

Taylor founded Texas Roadhouse in Clarksville, Ind., in 1993. To start the business, Taylor raised $300,000 from three investors from Elizabethtown, Ky., and then sketched out the plan for the restaurant on a cocktail napkin. Three out of the chain’s first five restaurants failed but would later expand to 611 successful locations in 49 states, and 10 countries, according to the company.