Tucker Carlson has lost his father, Richard “Dick” Warner Carlson, who passed away at 84 on Monday in Boca Grande, Florida, after a six-week illness. Tucker described his father as “the toughest person in the world” and shared that Dick passed away holding the hands of his children, with his dogs at his feet.

Dick Carlson was a respected figure with a successful career. Like his son, he began as a reporter before moving into government roles, serving as Director of Voice of America under President Reagan and U.S. Ambassador to the Seychelles under President George H. W. Bush. In his final years, he worked on something that remained a mystery to his family but was clearly important to him.

Carlson had a strong bond with his children, having lunch with them every week for 30 years, and was deeply fond of dogs. Despite a rough childhood—he was placed in a Boston orphanage, faced early troubles, and was jailed for car theft at 17—he turned his life around, joining the Marine Corps, working as a merchant seaman, and eventually becoming a journalist.

Dick Carlson was also a hands-on father, shaping his children with a strong sense of discipline and an unorthodox approach to parenting, such as taking them to a murder scene to expose them to the realities of his work. He is survived by his two sons and five grandsons.