Kathie Lee Gifford’s daughter Cassidy has paid tribute to Regis Philbin, her mother’s former television co-host, who died last week.
An actress herself, Cassidy, 26, took to Instagram on Saturday to send love to Philbin, but also to her late father, NFL star Frank Gifford, who died in 2015. Frank and Kathie Lee married in 1986 and remained together until his death due to natural causes.
In the post, Cassidy shared a photo of her father, arm-in-arm with Philbin as they both boast wide grins.
KATHIE LEE GIFFORD RECALLS LAST MEETING WITH REGIS PHILBIN BEFORE HIS DEATH: ‘IT WAS SO PRECIOUS’
“The laughter I know you two are sharing together again in heaven is palpable…” Cassidy wrote. “Love you forever, Reeg.”
She finished the caption with a red heart emoji.
Kathie Lee, 66, appeared on the “Today” show on Monday to discuss her longtime friend, who starred opposite her on their daytime talk show “Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee” from 1985 until 2000. She revealed that the last time she saw Philbin was at a laugh-filled visit to her Connecticut home along with his wife, Joy.
“I was just so grateful the Lord gave me that final time,” she said. “And it was so precious because when I talked to Joy the day that I found out right after he had passed, she said, ‘Kathie he hadn’t laughed in a long, long time.’ She said, ‘I was so worried about him.'”
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“I think he was like Frank. He was just ready, you know? … And she said, ‘The day that we came to have lunch with you was the last time I heard him laugh.’ That will forever be a precious gift the Lord gave me, that I got to laugh again with one of my best friends in all my lifetime.”
Although she was happy to pick right back up where she left off with Philbin, she noticed his age starting to show during their last visit, giving her a subtle clue that it was time to brace herself for his passing.
“I sensed much more fragility than I’d seen in him since the last time in January out in Los Angeles,” she added. “We sat right here on my screened porch, and we laughed ourselves sick. We always picked up right where we left off. … After they left I just thought to myself, ‘Lord, is that the last time I’m going to see my friend?’ Because he was failing, I could tell.”
Philbin’s family confirmed the news of his death in a statement to Fox News on Saturday.
“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” the statement read.
“His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss,” it concluded.
