Christian Radio Host Rob Dempsey Dies a Week After Announcing Cancer Diagnosis: 'He Was a Great Man'

Rob Dempsey, a Christian radio host known for his time on the local South Carolina show Rob and Lizz in the Morning, has died.

On Thursday, Oct. 24, the Greenville, S.C., Christian radio station where Dempsey worked for 24 years — announced during a broadcast that the host died on Wednesday, Oct. 23, following complications related to stage 3 bladder cancer. 

According to the HisAir radio network, Dempsey, who had recently been diagnosed with cancer, went into cardiac arrest after being hospitalized for emergency surgery on Oct. 23.

“He always had us laughing,” His Radio hosts said, per WMBF News. “His fingerprints are all over this place. He was not just a boss, he was a leader, an encourager. He made such an impact to the community and to Greenville.”

They added, "We lost him but heaven gained such an incredible person. He’s celebrating with Jesus."

Before his death, the host shared candid posts to social media thanking the local Greenville community for supporting him through his cancer journey.

In an Instagram post shared on Monday, Oct. 21, Dempsey wrote that he had been admitted to the hospital for surgery on his left kidney. He first announced his health diagnosis on Oct. 15, writing on Facebook that "I have bladder cancer and it looks aggressive."

According to HisAir, Dempsey worked in radio for over 35 years, working his way from production roles and becoming a volunteer DJ in Tampa, near his hometown of St. Petersburg, Fla., before becoming the operations and program director for HIS Radio across all of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

“My start in radio began as a homeless teenager, addicted to drugs and alcohol. A youth pastor who reached out to me during this time introduced me to WCIE in Lakeland, Fla," Dempsey once told HisAir, recalling how he was inspired to begin working in Christian radio by local Florida host Dave Stewart following a tough upbringing.

"One night while leaving a bar WCIE was on the radio. I had given up on life," he said. "It was as if he was speaking to me... Then I prayed another prayer. 'God, I want to do what that guy on the radio is doing.' "

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

"I never believed that prayer would be answered. However, it was," Dempsey continued, per HisAir. "One year later I became a volunteer DJ at WLPJ in North Tampa. God was using me to help others the same way WCIE helped me. Easter Sunday 1988 I began a part time shift at WJIS in Sarasota, Florida. It was here that I learned how to do radio. By January 1989, I became the full time overnight announcer."

According to a HIS Radio biography, Dempsey and Amy, his wife of 33 years, shared four children and fostered many kids over the course of nine years.

Dempsey's son, Spencer, spoke out on Thursday, thanking the community for their outpouring of support since his father's death in a Facebook post.

"He was a great man, and I’m proud to call him my Dad," he wrote in part, sharing a photo of himself and Dempsey posing together. "... He’s whole, he’s healthy, and he’s dancing with his Savior. Everything he did was aimed at bringing God glory, and only God knows how many lives he's touched. I love you dad, I’ll see you soon. Well done."

Tons of Dempsey's listeners and friends took to social media to share their memories of the host.

"Very sad to hear of Rob Dempsey's passing today. Thank you for serving so many of us with your Godly gifts and discipleship in Christ!" one person wrote on Facebook, while another person added, "Rob's light shined so bright in this world, and his absence will be felt by more people than I can count."