The New Mexico ranch that radio personality Don Imus has been opening once a year to children with cancer is being put up for sale for $32 million. Imus is reportedly selling his ranch because he can no longer breathe in the high altitude at which the property is located.
The ranch Imus bought with his wife Deirdre in 1998 can be found adjacent to Ribera, which is more than 6,000 feet above sea level. Since it opened, this working cattle ranch owned by Imus has hosted nine-day visits every summer for children with cancer or those who had lost siblings to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). More than 2,000 children have reportedly visited the ranch, with Imus spending every summer there working with guests and hosting his radio show from a studio on the property.
Imus also plans to donate the proceeds of the sale of the ranch to charity. He reportedly said that the money would go to unspecified 501(c) charities. Imus is hopeful that he can sell the ranch to a group that will continue to benefit children.
According to realtor Craig Huitfeldt, who spoke to the Albuquerque Journal, a few buyers have already expressed interest in Imus’ property, even though it had only been listed for less than a week. The ranch is reportedly owned by an Imus non-profit, but Huitfeldt said that another 1,000 acres of contiguous personal property of Imus is on sale at $3 million.
On an online sales site, Imus’ property is listed as “host to a western town, stables, riding arenas (indoor and outdoor) as well as a 14,000 square foot Grand Hacienda.”
Imus and his wife reportedly bought a ranch in Brenham, Texas, last year that was closer to sea level. They also sold their home in Westport, Connecticut, for $14.4 million. Meanwhile, Imus still has a base in New York in the form of an apartment near the studio where he does his radio and TV show.