Joni Lamb, Daystar cofounder, dies at 65 after back injury, health issues

Joni Lamb, co‑founder and president of the Daystar Christian television network, died at 65 after serious health issues were aggravated by a recent back injury. Daystar honored her leadership and announced a future memorial service, while noting the network’s history of controversies, including a 2024 family allegation and past criticism of its former co‑founder Marcus Lamb.

Joni Lamb, cofounder and president of the evangelical Christian TV network Daystar, has died. She was 65.

Lamb "graduated to Heaven" the morning of Thursday, May 7, Daystar Television Networkannounced.

"Joni has been an inspiration to millions, but most of all to her family and all of us at Daystar. She has modeled what it means to be fearless, to be bold, and to stand for righteousness even when it's unpopular," the network wrote Thursday. "Her love and compassion for people were unparalleled. She will be so greatly missed."

In a statement on its website, Daystar said Lamb had been privately dealing with "serious health matters" in addition to a recent back injury. During her last days, the injury "compounded those challenges and led to a more serious medical situation than anyone had anticipated."

The network noted her family has asked for privacy and prayers, and programming would continue uninterrupted, with on-air tributes to follow. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

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"We are thankful that we do not grieve as those who have no hope," the network wrote. "And until we see Joni again, we will continue in this mission of taking that hope, that promise, to the whole world."

Joni Lamb (née Trammell) and her late husband, Marcus Lamb, founded Daystar in 1993, taking a formerly defunct television station in Texas and building a reach of 2.3 billion homes around the world as the second-largest Christian television network, behind Trinity Broadcasting Network.