via BuzzFeed

Carr was well known for his columns on the media, as well as his candid memoir discussing his former cocaine addiction.

New York Times columnist David Carr died Thursday. He was 58.

AP Photo/Stephen Chernin

Times staffers confirmed his death to BuzzFeed News shortly before the paper published his obituary.

In a note to employees, Executive Editor Dean Baquet said Carr "died suddenly tonight after collapsing in the newsroom."

Carr's wife and one of his daughters were joined by a group of Times staffers at the hospital, Baquet added.

"He was the finest media reporter of his generation, a remarkable and funny man who was one of the leaders of our newsroom," Baquet wrote.

Reaction to Carr's death was a mix of disbelief and shock among his co-workers and fans.