Sad Day: Toronto loses Chris "Punch" Andrews to lung cancer at 43!

Local radio announcer and traffic reporter Chris “Punch” Andrews died yesterday of lung cancer. He was 43. Andrews was known as Punch on 99.9 MIX FM, where he hosted the Saturday Night Party, and as Chris Andrews on CFRB, where he did traffic reporting.

He started his career at Cable 10 in Aurora as an on-air host at the age of 17, co-workers at Astral Media said. While studying radio and television at Ryerson University, Andrews began working at a Newmarket radio station, eventually leaving to become a producer at AM 640.
After three months, he left for Prince Edward Island to become an evening announcer at a station there, returning to Toronto two years later to do overnights at MIX. He did several jobs at the station.

Andrews also taught communications technology classes at Vaughan Secondary School and Humber College. A tribute can be found at 999mixfm.com and condolences left at the Facebook group “The Chris 'Punch’ Andrews Support Posse.” R.I.P

Source: Toronto Star

Punch appeared on CFRB's Jim Richards Show March 13th to talk about his battle with lung cancer. Astral Production Manager John Masecar used the interview to produce this tribute to Punch Andrews ....

Thanks to Chris Evans at Z103.5FM who's on the air now (11.19amET) who sent me the funeral arrangements. Chris Evans and Chris Andrews were lifelong friends in the business.

Visitation and Funeral Arrangements:

Visitation will be held at Roadhouse and Rose Funeral Home - 157 Main Street South, Newmarket on Wednesday April 2nd between the hours of 2pm-4pm or 7pm - 9pm. The Funeral will be held at Trinity United Church in Newmarket (on the corner of Main St. South and Park Ave - right across the street from the funeral home) at 11am on Thursday April 3rd.

In lieu of flowers, Chris and his family requested that donations be made and sent directly to The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation at 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9. The visitation and funeral will be open to anyone who knew and loved Chris; Family, co-workers, students, listeners and friend alike. PLEASE TO ALL SMOKERS, WE WANT YOU TO QUIT! QUIT! QUIT!