Stephen Colbert came from a large family and was the youngest of ten siblings. But at just 10 years old, his life was shattered by tragedy.
In 1974, his father — both a doctor and an academic — along with his brothers Paul and Peter, were killed in a devastating plane crash.
The crash marked the beginning of a long period of suffering, but also the start of what would eventually become an incredibly successful career in front of the camera.
Described as “rambunctious”
When we look at Hollywood stars, it’s easy to get dazzled by the money, fame, and talent that seem to define their lives. It’s easy to forget that many of them come from very humble beginnings, with dreams, family tragedies, and everyday struggles just like anyone else.
Take, for example, the TV star and actor we’re focusing on today — his life has been shaped by everything from a tragic plane crash to a career-changing health battle.
This star was born in 1964 and grew up in Maryland and South Carolina. His father was a prominent doctor, and the TV personality has described his parents as devout, yet deeply committed to intellectualism. They taught their children that it was possible to question the Church while still remaining Catholic.
He remembers having a “pretty conservative upbringing,” noting that his mother voted for a Democrat — John F. Kennedy — just once in her life. In interviews, she described him as “rambunctious.” As a child, he noticed that Southerners were often portrayed as less intelligent on TV, so to avoid that stereotype, he taught himself to mimic the speech of American news anchors.
The plane crash
On September 11, 1974, when he was just ten, his father and two of his brothers — the ones closest to him in age — died in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 crash as it attempted to land in Charlotte.
They had been traveling to enroll his brothers at Canterbury School. The short flight from Charleston never reached its destination, crashing into a cornfield-covered hillside just three miles from the runway.
Foggy conditions contributed to the tragedy, but a report from the National Transportation Safety Board concluded: “The flight crew’s lack of altitude awareness at critical points during the approach due to poor cockpit discipline in that the crew did not follow prescribed procedure.”
Only 13 of the 82 people on board survived.
Reflecting on the loss, the actor once told Anderson Cooper:
“I was personally shattered and then you reform yourself in this quiet, grieving world that was created in the house.”
“My mother had me to take care of, which I think was sort of a gift for her — a sense of purpose at that point. But I also had her to take care of. It became a very quiet house, very dark, and the ordinary concerns of childhood kind of disappeared.”
As the youngest, his older siblings had already moved out, leaving him to spend several years alone with his mother.
Turned to the worlds of science fiction
After the tragedy, the future star showed very little interest in school or studying.
“Nothing made any sense after my father and my brothers died. I kind of just shut off,” he recalled.
Instead, he turned to the worlds of science fiction and fantasy — especially the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, which he still loves today. He also sought comfort in his Catholic faith, trying to find meaning in the devastating loss.
Alongside his love for sci-fi and fantasy, he discovered a passion for improvisation and theater, which sparked a new sense of purpose. This eventually led him to transfer from Hampden–Sydney College to Northwestern University, where he pursued performing arts.
But it wasn’t until college that the full weight of his grief truly hit him. He lost 50 pounds during his freshman year. In a 2012 interview with Oprah Winfrey, he admitted he was in “bad shape” after everything that had shaped his early life.
“I was just green. I was just so sad about it. I just had time to sort of, I suppose, be alone with the idea.”
Dreamed of becoming an actor
While studying at Northwestern, the future TV star dreamed of becoming a dramatic actor. Comedy wasn’t really on his radar at the time — even though it would later define his career.
That path began to shift when he joined The Second City’s touring company, starting as an understudy for Steve Carell. It was there that he formed key creative friendships with Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello, collaborators who would play an important role throughout his career.
And now that we’ve dropped a few clues along the way, you can probably guess who we’re talking about. That’s right — Stephen Colbert.
The South Carolina–raised writer and performer didn’t land his first big dream job, but he ultimately carved his own path to late-night stardom. His rise began on The Daily Show, which later led to The Colbert Report, and eventually brought him to the biggest seat in late night: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he succeeded the legendary David Letterman.
Rise to late-night success
CBS premiered The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 8, 2015, following Letterman’s retirement. Letterman had hosted the program for more than 20 years and enjoyed a late-night career spanning more than three decades.
When Colbert was chosen as Letterman’s successor, CBS gave him broad creative freedom to reshape the show. The network promised audiences they would finally see “the real Stephen Colbert,” marking a shift away from the satirical character he had famously played on The Colbert Report.
A wealthy man
Colbert quickly distinguished his version of The Late Show by leaning heavily into political commentary, making current events a defining part of the program from the start. At the same time, he preserved the classic late-night format with musical performances, celebrity interviews, and conversations with newsmakers and cultural figures.
That mix of sharp monologues, thoughtful interviews, and live music helped propel him to the top of the late-night ratings.
His success in front of the camera has also made him a wealthy man, with a reported net worth of about $75 million. Beyond his professional success, he also enjoys a full family life. Colbert has been married to Evelyn McGee‑Colbert since 1993, and together they have three children: Madeleine (born 1995), Peter (born 1998), and John (born 2002). The family lives in Montclair.
End of an era
In 2025, CBS revealed it would bring The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to an end — officially retiring the Late Show franchise entirely in May 2026 after a 33-year run.
The network acknowledged the show’s success, noting it had topped late-night ratings for nine consecutive seasons, and said:
“Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult.”
Health battles
But the painful decision to end The Late Show may pale in comparison to the personal battles Colbert has faced. He once suffered a burst appendix while recording multiple episodes of his show, pushing through intense pain. After surgery, he relied on strong painkillers and even joked about the unusual experiences and hallucinations that came with them.
He was also diagnosed with Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a condition that causes dizziness and balance problems. To manage it, Colbert must perform a series of regular exercises.
Colbert has also experienced profound personal loss. In 2013, he lost his mother, Lorna Elizabeth Colbert (née Tuck), at the age of 92. Speaking on The Colbert Report, he reflected:
“She knew more than her share of tragedy, losing her brother and her husband and three of her sons.
“But her love for her family and her faith in God somehow gave her the strength not only to
