Ted Koppel's Son Andrew Dies After Drinking Binge

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 1st 2010 06:35AM

Ted Koppel's Son Andrew Dies After Booze Binge

Andrew Koppel, son of TV anchor Ted Koppel, died early Monday morning after a marathon day of drinking in New York City. He was 40. The New York Post reports Andrew went to an apartment late in the night with a new drinking buddy, Russell Wimberly, and was later found in a bedroom, unconscious and not breathing.

Belinda Caban, a resident of the apartment where Koppel died, said, "He was just really messed up when he came in. He was very drunk. I didn't understand anything he said. We took him to the bedroom and laid him down to rest."

"His complexion wasn't right. It was pale. I said to call the police," Caban said of finding Koppel later that night. "When the ambulance came, they said he was dead."

Andrew Koppel was an attorney for the New York City Housing Authority. He was Ted Koppel's only son and the third of four children.

The medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of death, and no one has been charged.

The Post reports Koppel lived with his girlfriend and their "baby daughter."

Russell Wimberly recalled meeting Koppel earlier in the day: "He had a straw hat on, and I had one on, and he said, 'Nice hat, man.' We got to talking, and he started buying me drinks. There was a lot of alcohol. He didn't take anything else [drugs] around me, and neither of us ate all day. We talked about our kids ... He said he had a kid and loved [her] a lot."

The binge led to a cab ride to Caban's apartment. Koppel and Wimberly stopped on the way to buy whiskey and beer.

"[He] wasn't feeling good," Wimberly said of Koppel. "I told him to lay down and turn the light off. He was snoring really loud. I thought he was out."

The Post notes Andrew Koppel was involved in an alcohol-related "fender bender" driving his father's Mercedes in Maryland in 1990. In 1993, he was convicted of an assault on a senator's aide in Washington, D.C., and sent to alcohol treatment.

Tags: ted koppel

Comments

(141)

Tuesday 01 June

By JudeThom

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Well, what a tragedy. But who would drink whisky and beer
all day without ANY food? That is insane! And why whisky?
He should have been a red wine drinker--with food! Drinking like that--whisky and beer without food--is totally nuts.

By L B

Vote down Vote up Report this

Alcohol is Alcohol!!! All drinks contain same amount of alcohol, nomatter what, whiskey, beer, or wine. Alcohol binging is bad whether you eat or not, this ends up being alcohol poisoning in the blood????? Yeah??? It is what it is. Sorry to think someone 40 years old what do something inmature kids do in college. Sad, but that's the reality of the world today. People need to be well informed before doing anything.
RIP, still the same.
Yankeenftl

By Paprika

an Alcoholic

By florida1

'One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer'.

Ain't seen my baby in nigh on a week,
Wanna get drunk so I can't even speak...

By socaldave613

It is true that any addiction or abuse of substance is an act of insanity. It is a tragic loss and my condolences to the family.

By karenione

TO: L B......Alcohol is Alcohol!!! All drinks contain same amount of alcohol, nomatter what, whiskey, beer, or wine....LB, read the labels. They DO NOT contain the same amount of alcohol. You do not know what you are talking about. Drinking too much whiskey or other hard liquor can kill you, but so will beer and wine if you drink ENOUGH of it. READ THE LABELS! This man was an alcoholic and should not have been drinking any of it. We do not know what was going through his mind when he decided to go on a drinking binge. Being 40 years old doesn't mean that you will always do what is right. I feel very sorry for the family because he didn't have to die. What a shame.

By Susan

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

What a shame, Ted's only son! Regardless who likes Ted or not, he has lost his only son, & Andrew's daughter will have to grow up without a father :( My Prayers are so much for the family in thier time of pain, & grieving :(

By Cheryl

I get very irritated by people who say "he lost his ONLY son". Do you think its easier for parents if they have other sons? Trust me losing a child isn't easier because you have more at home of the same gender.

By aboonie

When people say "his only son" they are referring to the fact that their last name ends. It's not about demeaning other children. We lost our 16 year old son in October, therefore,my husband last name.

By Karen

To aboonie...The term, "only son," does not refer to the fact that the family name stops, here...the term "only daughter" is used often, as well. It merely designates the they have no other children of that gender.

Sunday 20 June

By marieevaughn

no one can feel the pain this family is going thru but i can imagain it is so hard to bear and i do pray that they will be able to accept this i have been thru something like this and it will take a long time so lets all keep this family in our prayers

Gosh dude, don't you do the same thing Andrew done! Just say a prayer for the family ;) GOD BLESS, ST

By Lassie

Wow. Age 40??? You'd expect something like this from age 15-25, but age 40? You'd think he'd know better, but I guess not...this guy had a real problem, and I don't think just drinking. A girlfriend and baby, what's with that? Sympathy to the family, this was a terrible thing.

By Hollie Sunshine

Nice to have all the answers, huh?

By kitty

Alcoholism affects ANY age. Not just the young partiers. Once you realize that the person has to help HIM self nothing will work. It is sad to see another was taken due to uncontrolled drinking...my heart goes out to the family...been there.

By nick

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Just goes to show, you can have millions and it won't keep you from the greem reaper.

By KATHY SPANCER

GET A DICTIONARY

By Lana S.

My sincerest condolences to Mr. & Mrs. Koppel, the siblings, girlfriend and daughter. Such a loss to a family.

By solomeeo

This is the kind of thing that sometimes happens when these celebrity parents are too busy for their children when they are young. They have so many issues as adults. The poor guy probably never saw his dad growing up

Oh I see, the blame game......and you have no clue. Just surmizing.............have a heart will you please.

Page 1 of 8