Jane Fonda has paid a moving tribute to her former husband Ted Turner, describing the billionaire CNN founder as a “swashbuckling pirate” following his death at the age of 87. 

Turner, the visionary media tycoon who transformed the global news landscape, passed away on Wednesday. 

While a specific cause of death was not confirmed, it was well known that he had been living with Lewy body dementia in his later years. 

Fonda, who was married to Turner for a decade until 2001, shared her “immediate thoughts” on social media, reflecting on a man she admired for both his brilliant mind and his unexpected vulnerability.

The 88-year-old actress admitted that Turner completely changed her life when he “swept” into it, noting that being both needed and cared for by such a powerful figure was a transformative experience. 

She credited the creator of Turner Classic Movies with giving her a new sense of confidence, while also teaching her about everything from business strategy to the intricacies of wildlife and nature. 

Fonda fondly recalled his intense competitiveness, noting he was the only person who could rival Katharine Hepburn in that department, whether they were tallying up ski runs or discussing the vast swathes of land he stewarded.

Turner’s legacy as a “giant” of broadcasting was echoed by current industry leaders, including CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson, who called him the “presiding spirit” of the network. 

Beyond the boardroom, Fonda highlighted Turner’s softer side, suggesting that his greatest strength was actually his ability to show need, a trait not often expected of men in his position. 

She spoke warmly of his five children, whom she had the privilege of mothering as a stepmother, acknowledging that while being married to such a complex man was a challenge, he was always worth it. 

Fonda ended her tribute with a poignant snap of Turner at the pearly gates, being applauded by the many endangered species, from bison to Mexican Gray Wolves, that his conservation efforts helped save from extinction.

Kyle Loftis, the founder of viral automotive media platform 1320Video, passed away on Tuesday night, his outlet confirmed.

No details surrounding the cause of death have been released yet.

Loftis built 1320Video.com into one of the most recognisable names in online car culture, growing a global audience of nearly 4 million YouTube subscribers and over 6.4 million Facebook followers, since its early days in 2003.

His platform is widely known for its raw coverage of drag racing, roll racing, dyno runs, car meets and underground street racing scenes.

1320Video describes itself as a group of automotive enthusiasts documenting “street cars” and travelling internationally to showcase unique builds, drivers, and car cultures.

Over the years, its content reached more than 10 million fans across platforms, solidifying its place in modern motorsport media while also drawing controversy for its focus on street racing content that often pushed legal boundaries.

Tributes poured in from the team following the death of Loftis, describing him as a central force in the platform’s identity and growth.

In a statement on Facebook, the 1320Video.com said, “We are extremely saddened to share that Kyle Loftis, the founder of 1320video, passed away last night. We are in a state of shock.”

The statement continued, “Kyle’s passion for motorsports inspired millions of people around the world and we will never forget what he has done to grow our beloved sport. Kyle was a beam of light at every gathering… his enthusiasm, kindness, and creativity was contagious.”

It concluded with: “Let us pray that Kyle is in a better place.”

Representatives did not provide further details..

Ted Turner has died at the age of 87. The founder of CNN and one of the most important figures in the history of modern media passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2026. 

According to Turner Enterprises, He died peacefully, surrounded by family. He had been in hospice care.

No cause of death was given. Turner had been living with Lewy body dementia since 2018, a condition he announced publicly himself, just before turning 80.

Turner transformed television journalism by launching CNN, the world’s first 24-hour news network, reshaping how global audiences consume breaking news.

A Difficult Beginning

He was born Robert Edward Turner III on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His childhood was not easy.

His father was a volatile man who disciplined his son with a leather strap. He later shot himself in 1963, leaving a 24-year-old Ted in charge of the family billboard company. His younger sister Mary Jean died after five years of suffering from a rare form of lupus.

“She hadn’t done anything wrong,” Turner once said. “What had she done wrong?”

He dropped out of Brown University after his father cut off his tuition. He went back to Georgia. He got to work. That became the story of his life.

Building a Media Empire

Turner bought a struggling Atlanta TV station in 1970. In 1976, he put its signal on a satellite and created cable TV’s first superstation. Then he bought the Atlanta Braves. Then the Atlanta Hawks.

On June 1, 1980, he launched CNN from a converted country club in Atlanta. The world’s first 24-hour all-news television network. The industry laughed as the critics called it “Chicken Noodle News.”

“If Alexander the Great could conquer the known world, why couldn’t I start CNN?” he once told Oprah Winfrey.

When the Gulf War broke out in 1991, CNN was the only network broadcasting live from Baghdad. The world watched through CNN’s eyes. This remarkable transformation of the media landscape prompted Time Magazine to name Turner its “Man of the Year” that same year.

He later went on to build 

• TNT, 
• Turner Classic Movies, 
• the Cartoon Network, 
• CNN International, 
• the Goodwill Games,
• a library of more than 4,000 MGM films. 
• Captain Planet to teach kids about the environment.

Turner’s one rule for his now one of the most acclaimed media channels was, “Be fair. That’s it.”

Fortune, Loss, and Jane Fonda

In 1996 he sold his media empire to Time Warner for $7.5 billion. The companies merged in 2001 in what is now known as one of the worst corporate deals in history.

The deal cost him his position at CNN. Turner’s personal life also took a hit the same year as his marriage to actress Jane Fonda ended the same year. The pair remained friends as Fonda described him as “favourite ex-husband”.

In an interview with Piers Morgan for CNN in 2012, Turner said, “I lost Jane. I lost my job. I lost my fortune, most of it. Got a billion or two left. You can get by on that if you economize.”

He resigned from AOL Time Warner in 2003 and went back to the media.

Philanthropy and Conservation

In 1997, Turner pledged $1 billion to the United Nations. One of the largest private donations in American history. He also co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative to push for global disarmament and became one of the largest private landowners in North America, with nearly 2 million acres across 28 properties.

He raised the world’s largest private bison herd, around 45,000 to 51,000 animals. Turner opened Ted’s Montana Grill in 2002 to make bison mainstream, in addition to founding the Captain Planet Foundation.

Final Years

In his later years, Turner spent most of his time at his Montana ranches, fishing, riding horses, and staying quiet.

He told the world about his Lewy body dementia in 2018. In early 2025, he was hospitalized briefly with pneumonia before recovering.

CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson said he was “the giant on whose shoulders we stand.”

“He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN,” Thompson said.

Turner called CNN the “greatest achievement” of his life.

He is survived by five children, Laura, Teddy, Rhett, Jennie and Beau, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Jane Fonda survives him too.