Richard Carlson’s adoptive father, a tannery manager, died when he was 12. He became a juvenile delinquent, arrested and jailed at 17 for car theft. He eventually enlisted in the Marine Corps and was a merchant seaman before pursuing a career in journalism, according to Tucker Carlson’s post.

Tucker Carlson paid respect to his late father on X, detailing how his father died “with dignity and clarity” following six weeks of illness. Richard Warner Carlson, 84, died on Monday after a brief illness that was previously not made public.