I listened to him my whole time as a teenager.

When he died, I remember hearing on the day and I was not that effected by it. When I got home, I think maybe seeing the radio or something, it made it very real. I sat on the bed and wept in a way most unlike me (relatives and close friends excepted). I've certainly never even come close to this kind of emotion for any "famous" person before or since. He was a wonderful DJ who introduced so many kinds of music. A real loss for the UK.

And yet clearly here his work lives on, which is great to see.

Along With Elvis and Amy I can remember where I was when I heard that Peely had died

Yes, I felt the same kind of loss, familial, and unique to him over other celebrities for me, just as you describe.

Same. And well put.