Ray O’Canto, former Fresno State baseball radio commentator and local media personality, died this past Saturday at the age of 60, according to numerous media reports.
He battled cancer for the last few months, spending his final weeks in hospice care.
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O’Canto worked in and around Fresno media, most recently operating his NTD Media production company. He also hosted a food and travel TV show, “Dine Out Along the Road.”
A former collegiate baseball player at College of the Sequoias and Fresno State, O’Canto teamed with Paul Loeffler for many years calling Diamond Dog games on the radio, including the 2008 NCAA championship season.
“Get dirty!” O’Canto exuberantly yelled after the final out in Omaha, as partner Loeffler described the action.
Loeffler Lovingly Describes His Partner
“Joy. That’s the word. I think joy was our friend Ray O’Canto’s most significant gift to the world. His talents were plentiful and diverse,” Loeffler wrote in tribute on Instagram.
A few weeks ago, GV Wire Publisher Darius Assemi visited with O’Canto, who recorded one of his final messages to his friends and family.
“I just want to tell you how overwhelmed I am by the amount of support I’ve received from my friends, who have just rallied around me,” he said.
He added, “Who knows what our last breath will be? Only God knows that.”
A GoFundMe account has been established for O’Canto and his family.
“I love this community, I love what it means to me,” O’Canto said. “I’ll always try to uplift it in any way I can.”
