Ryan Seacrest Shares Emotional Details of His Dad’s Touching Final Words
Ryan Seacrest shared the details of his touching final moments with his dad, Gary Seacrest, before he passed away. The “American Idol” host shared his father’s final words as his family gathered by his bedside.
During the October 31 episode of “On Air With Ryan Seacrest,” the host was understandably emotional as he shared the details of his final moments with his beloved father.
“Earlier this week, I lost my dad, Gary Seacrest, to cancer,” he said. “I was by his bedside over the last several days. I was by his bedside as he left us.”
He shared, “When you lose someone that close, you cannot describe what you feel. And you just don’t know what to do.”
Seacrest recalled what his father said in his final moments. “He weakly mumbled that he loved us … I can see his mouth slowly moving to the words, ‘I love this family,'” he shared.
“As he said, without much strength or energy, that he loved us and that he was going to miss us, he looked over at me — and the power in the contact of eyes … and he said, ‘Take care of your mom,'” the host said.
Seacrest continued, “He said to my sister, to Jimmy, ‘Take care of Flora, my granddaughter.’ And then literally a few seconds later, he closed his eyes and he said, ‘I’ve got to go.’ He knew. He was at peace.”
“He said everything he wanted say to us,” Seacrest added.
Seacrest remembered his dad fondly as “a champion of family dinners. He always wanted us to have dinner together so we could talk.”
The host called his father “an amazing man,” adding, “He was my best friend.”
“He was so proud of his marriage and his love of my mom, of fifty-six years. He was proud of my sister, who was proud of her family. He was proud of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. This is something that we did together and he actually ran it for so many years, almost two decades,” Seacrest added.
Seacrest Called Gary His ‘Best Friend’
The “American Idol” host also paid tribute to his father with an Instagram post that revealed the sad news.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that my loving father peacefully passed away earlier this week,” Seacrest wrote. “My mom, sister and I have peace knowing he is in a better place and free of any pain or suffering. We are heartbroken.”
The “Idol” host continued, “He was a devoted husband for 56 years, an incredible Papa to Flora, and my best friend.”
“Dad you will live in our hearts forever,” Seacrest added. “I love you.”
Melissa Gorga Sheds New Light on Her Decade-Long Friendship with Phaedra Parks (EXCLUSIVE)
Melissa Gorga feared she was in over her head when she swapped out of her Franklin Lakes, New Jersey home into Michelle Clark’s East Point, Georgia home. So,
“We love a cameo, especially a Phaedra cameo,” Melissa told The Daily Dish in an October interview while reflecting on the experience. “She’s like, ‘Girl! What is happening here?’”
It all started when Melissa realized that her temporary husband, Sean, was an extremely hands-on father who was with his young children around the clock. “He cooks, he cleans, he spends every minute with them. But to be honest, the guy needs a break,” Melissa said in the Oct. 28 episode. She decided to enforce a new rule: Sean gets alone time.
“I have something very important that I want to shop for. So, I am gonna take these three little ones shopping today,” Melissa explained. “Because you, sir, are so amazing, but you never get a break to just have a little independence. You can take a nap. Whatever floats your boat.”
As Melissa and the children stopped by a furniture store, Melissa let the kids in on a surprise. “I have a friend that’s going to meet me here. You wanna meet my friend?” she asked. She also confessed a second reason for the shopping excursion. She added, “I really wanna get the Clarks a dining room table. So I had to dial in a local friend in the area to help me figure that out.”
A split of Melissa Gorga from The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 14 and Phaedra Park from The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 16.
Phaedra was happy to meet Melissa and her “three babies in tow.” She added in a confessional, “I’ve known Melissa for over a decade. She runs a tight ship. So, when I saw Melissa turn the corner with three young children, oh, give me a Xanax.”
The Real Housewives of Atlanta mom began to quiz Melissa on her experience, asking, “Have you been eating good food?” Melissa replied, “Um, they’re vegan.” Phaedra, who was shocked, answered, “Jesus. I can’t get enough meat in my life.”
Melissa also volunteered that her first night of the Wife Swap involved “juicing,” which also left Phaedra horrified. She commented, “Child, forget the juice, what about the gravy?”
As the ‘Wives shopped, Phaedra spotted a table that was “sort of interesting,” and Melissa declared, “Oh my god, they need that!”
“It’s so important to eat dinner together,” Melissa shared in her confessional interview. “Honestly, sometimes the only time I see my kids, now that they’re older, is at dinner. The Clarks are going to realize as their kids get older, how important this is, and that they need to get used to that now.”
Melissa Gorga explains why she asked Phaedra Parks for help on Wife Swap: Real Housewives Edition
Although Melissa and Phaedra have never been on a Bravo show together before now, they’ve both been part of the Bravoverse for a long time.
“I’ve known her for so many years, like a decade,” Melissa shared in her interview with The Daily Dish. She explained she asked Phaedra for help since she knew the Atlanta area better. “I loved being able to like be like, ‘Hey, come help me find some random store, pick out a table’ and, you know, so she brought me there.”
Phaedra, who has also appeared on Married to Medicine and Season 2 of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, shared how friendly she finds the Bravoverse.
“I mean, I’ve made friends with some people I just adore,” she said on Season 10, Episode 2 of
Melissa and Phaedra have also found time outside of television to hang out. The two posed for a picture together at an event celebrating The Points Guy in January 2025 in New York City. They were joined by
Melissa Gorga reveals her favorite moment from Phaedra Parks' Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition cameo
One moment stood out to Melissa as the “best” part of Phaedra’s appearance on the Oct. 28 episode: her “swap” daughter Phoenix’s reaction to seeing Phaedra for the first time.
“Phaedra looks like Elsa,” Phoenix declared, describing the Frozen princess. “She has blonde hair too. And I wear makeup too! Like the Housewives.”
Melissa loved the interaction, telling The Daily Dish
She continued, “But Phaedra is the best. She's good to bring in like a little humor to everything, you know, and just to like hear her perspective.”
ICYMI, Melissa also revealed in an exclusive interview that her daughter Antonia has a boyfriend.
-Additional reporting by Erik McIntyre
