Political satirist and activist Barry Crimmins

Longtime comedian, political satirist and activist Barry Crimmins has died, his family announced Thursday.

Crimmins, who revealed in late January that he was undergoing treatment for cancer, was 64 years old.

His wife, Helen, posted the news on Crimmins’ Twitter account early Thursday morning.

“Helen here with sad news…Barry passed peacefully yesterday with Bobcat and I. He would want everyone to know that he cared deeply about mankind and wants you to carry on the good fight. Peace.”

Crimmins became a vocal fan of the city of Lawrence following his appearance at the 2015 Free State Festival, which screened “Call Me Lucky,” a documentary about his life that was directed by fellow comic Bobcat Goldthwait. The documentary chronicled his path from sexual abuse victim to successful comedian and advocate for fellow survivors.

He came back to Lawrence in 2016 to film his stand-up special, “Whatever Threatens You,” and returned again the next year to perform his one-man show, “Atlas’s Knees,” at the 2017 Free State Festival.

In a 2016 interview with the Journal-World, Crimmins said he chose Lawrence for the filming of the special as a “thank-you” to the friends he had made here.

“It’s my way of saying, ‘I think your town’s the greatest.’ I mean, I just do. I really do,” Crimmins said.

Even when he was away from Lawrence, he often engaged with community members on Twitter and regularly mentioned the city, calling it his “adopted hometown.”

That same community posted remembrances Thursday on social media.

“He took a chance on this little festival a few years ago and has been in our hearts ever since,” the organizers of the Free State Festival wrote on Facebook. “He connected with the people here, championed the fest when our future was uncertain, and chose Lawrence as the place to film his comedy special when the whole world was open to him.”