Bill Carroll no longer broadcasts in Toronto but his radio roots started here. He was an essential part of Q107, AM 640 and CFRB. He still appears on the latter from his base of CFRA in Ottawa. And of course, everyone remembers the years he spent at KFI in L.A.
 
One of the reasons he cited for leaving that high profile U.S. gig was that his mother was getting older and he wanted to be closer to his and his wife’s families. It was a prescient move in the end, after Carroll received word this week that his mom had an accident, was in an Oshawa hospital and was not expected to survive.
 
He made the 4 or 5 hour drive from Ottawa to be by her side and despite the current COVID crisis, he was assured by her doctor that an end-of-life exemption would be made for him to see her one last time.
 
He arrived and made it all the way to her doorway, when a nurse blocked his path. Despite the doctor’s assurance, he was told he was from a viral “hotspot” and he wouldn’t be allowed in. He was stunned, but didn’t try to object, merely returning to his car in the parking lot.
 
He never did get in.
 
On Tuesday, Carroll appeared on CFRA to tell his story and went into a heartbreaking harangue about what happened. But he wasn’t mad at the hospital, instead turning his anger elsewhere.
 
It was some pretty riveting radio and you can hear him tell his story here.