Emmy-Winning “Daily Show” Writer Kevin Bleyer Dies in Car Crash at 54

NEED TO KNOW

• Kevin Bleyer, an Emmy-winning writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, died at 54 following a car accident

• He also penned speeches for former President Barack Obama, including for the White House Correspondents’ Dinners

• Bleyer co-authored the bestselling book Earth: The Book and won four Primetime Emmy Awards during his career

Kevin Bleyer, an Emmy-winning television writer who spent nine years on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and helped write speeches for former President Barack Obama, has died. He was 54.

Bleyer died in a car accident on Sunday, Oct. 25, on a rural road in Millrift, Pa., where he had a country home, his family confirmed in a press release.

During his career, Bleyer won four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award and a Writers Guild Award for his work on The Daily Show. He also wrote and produced for late-night programs, including Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and shows hosted by Dennis Miller, according to his biography.

However, for those who knew him, Bleyer’s legacy went far beyond his accomplishments in television. His wife, Nella Vera, remembered him for the humor, curiosity and tenderness that shaped their life together.

“Kevin spent his life finding the perfect words to make people laugh, think, and see the world a little differently. I was lucky enough to know the humor, curiosity, mischief, and tenderness behind those word—and to be loved by a man who made my own world more joyful, more adventurous, and infinitely more beautiful,” Vera said in a statement.

Josh Gad also paid tribute to Bleyer in an Instagram post, recalling their time working together on The Daily Show. Gad praised Bleyer as “a wordsmith, a political junkie and an all-star comedic mind” and remembered seeing him over the summer at The Book of Mormon‘s 15th anniversary celebration. “My heart and prayers go out to his wife, Nella and their whole family,” Gad wrote.

Bleyer’s writing reached well beyond late-night comedy. He contributed to Obama’s speeches at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinners and wrote for NASA astronauts, senators, foreign diplomats and Shakira, according to his biography. His television credits included Disney+’s The Right Stuff, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow and Bravo’s Significant Others.

Writer and producer Danny Strong remembered Bleyer as a rare talent whose kindness was just as remarkable as his ability to write.

“Kevin Bleyer was a writer’s writer. From his many years on The Daily Show to writing Obama’s WHCD speeches to his many books and his work on numerous scripted dramas, Kevin could literally do it all. His immense talent was only outmatched by his kind soul. I am in complete shock that he is gone and my sadness is overwhelming. I already miss him dearly,” Strong said.

Bleyer was also a bestselling author. He wrote Me the People: One Man’s Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America and co-authored Earth: The Book, which became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller, according to his biography.

His interest in political satire also took him overseas. In 2013, Bleyer lived in Kyrgyzstan, where he executive produced Studio 7, described in the family release as the first political satire news show in Central Asia. He later co-founded Pilot Media Initiatives, which launches civic-minded media programs in countries around the world.

Producer Katy Murphy Davis, who first met Bleyer while they were working together at NBC, recalled how he could make people laugh while also moving them.

“He was a gifted writer and storyteller with that rare combination of extraordinary talent, razor-sharp wit, and a big heart. He could make you laugh one minute and move you deeply the next. His work had tremendous depth and character, and so did he. He was like a brother to me, and I will miss him terribly,” Davis said.

Bleyer also worked to bring political satire to audiences in countries where such programming was less established. Producer Llewellyn Wells remembered his work with the U.S. State Department in Central Asia and his commitment to making a difference through storytelling.

“But underneath that rare talent lived a man with depth, love and a sincere desire to leave the world a better place than he found it,” Wells said in a statement. “He left the world a better place than he found it. The heavens are shining brighter today, the earth lost an angel.”

MSNow anchor Lawrence O’Donnell also paid tribute to Bleyer, remembering the ease and warmth of their friendship.

“I don’t remember meeting Kevin because it instantly felt like I knew him forever. Kevin was a generous friend who always brought the gift of laughter,” O’Donnell said.

Born in Bethesda, Md., and raised in Seattle, Bleyer had called New York City home for the last 20 years, according to the family release. The Stanford University graduate began his career in theater and appeared as a child actor in the 1985 film Twice in a Lifetime. He later taught dramatic writing as an adjunct professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and was a fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Before his death, Bleyer had been developing a pilot about New York City politics for Appian Way Productions and HBO, according to the release.

Bleyer is survived by Vera; his father, Archie Bleyer; his brother, Keith Bleyer; his sister-in-law, Kelly Schulz-Bleyer; and his niece and nephew, Lauren and Evan Bleyer, according to his family.

Read the original article on People