Pat from Moonachie, also known as Patrick Philbin, recently passed away at the age of 59. He rose to prominence after appearing on the radio show Opie & Anthony. Opie & Anthony host Anthony Cumia paid tribute to Philbin on social media, saying he entertained everyone and was a staple of the show for a long time.

On Twitter, comedian Jim Norton expressed his grief:

“Pat van Moonachie was a legend and was responsible for some of the show’s most iconic funny moments.” Pat was hilarious in the truest sense of the word. Every time, in every situation, he laughed. “Rest in peace, one of the greats.”

Friends and relatives have not identified the reason for Philbin’s death. He kept his fans updated on social media about his medical treatment, including dialysis and cataract surgery, over the past few years. His leg had to be amputated and then he had to undergo hydrotherapy. Learning of Philbin’s health struggles, his fans launched a GoFundMe page last year with the goal of raising $20,000. While there are reports that Philbin died of health problems, it is unknown if these were the same issues he had been dealing with for years.

“Friendly, polite and humorous”: Twitter users pay tribute

Philbin rose to prominence as a radio personality and competitive eater over the years. As news of his death spread, Twitter was flooded with tributes:

Patrick Philbin, also known as “Pat from Moonachie”, has passed away. He was 59 years old. #Sudden death pic.twitter.com/QVXCmqHpqU

— mmm_grilled_beef (@MmmGrilledBeef) November 29, 2022

Radio personality and competitive eater Patrick Philbin, nicknamed “Pat from Moonachie”, has passed away. He was 59: https://t.co/SIfKHJmafX pic.twitter.com/BZ8Z1HSICJ

— Nzeora (@NzeoraHQ) November 29, 2022

Philbin was known for his participation in eating contests and frequent appearances on Opie & Anthony.

Pat from Moonachie was a well-known food contestant.

Philbin first appeared on Opie & Anthony in 1995 and continued to appear until 2014. When he took on the challenge of drinking 75 shots of a drink, he quickly became a fan favorite. He then took part in a Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest and finished second by eating 26 hot dogs in ten minutes. In an interview with NJ.com, he stated that he made hot dogs when he first started cooking. He continued:

“You have these young guys turning it into an athletic event, but I don’t take it seriously.”

Philbin’s Instagram activity was minimal, with just four posts and 801 followers. His most recent post was in November 2018 and it was a video of cats. He was active on Twitter, where his posts focused on the treatment he needed for his health issues. Philbin is survived by relatives, whose identities have not yet been revealed. Despite his celebrity, he did not have a Wikipedia page, so detailed information about his parents and educational background is unknown. He never discussed his personal life so it is not known if he was married or dated anyone.