Shutterstock (2)
Kathie Lee Gifford’s Daughter Cassidy Says the Late Regis Philbin Is in ‘Heaven’ With Father Frank
A loving tribute. Kathie Lee Gifford‘s daughter Cassidy said Regis Philbin and her deceased father, Frank Gifford, are in a better place after the TV personality died on July 25.
“The laughter I know you two are sharing together again in heaven is palpable … love you forever, Reeg,” the 26-year-old wrote alongside an Instagram photo of the two on the Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee set.
Regis, who passed away from “natural causes” at age 88 had a good relationship with Kathie Lee, 66, and her family. The duo worked together for 15 years on Live! before Kathie Lee left the show to become a cohost on Today. Although she and Regis were no longer working together, they still kept in contact through the years, especially when Frank died from natural causes at age 84 in 2015.
“They’re like army buddies,” an insider previously told Closer Weekly, who called their relationship loving and supportive. “They went through a unique time together, pioneering the early-morning TV format. They genuinely like and love each other.”
Once Kathie Lee found out Regis passed away just one month shy of his 89th birthday, she wrote a sweet tribute to him on Instagram. “There are no words to fully express the love I have for my precious friend, Regis. I simply adored him and every day with him was a gift,” the “Love Me To Death” singer said. “We spent 15 years together bantering and bickering and laughing ourselves silly — a tradition and a friendship we shared up to this very day.”
“I smile knowing somewhere in Heaven, at this very moment, he’s making someone laugh,” she continued. “I send all the love in my heart to Joy, to his children, to the rest of his family and to the innumerable people he touched over his legendary life. There has never been anyone like him. And there never will be.”
Regis’ former cohost Kelly Ripa was right. He is “the ultimate class act.” Since he passed, a number of celebrities have shared their great memories with him including Marie Osmond and Sharon Osbourne.
If you’d like to honor Regis’ memory, his family kindly asks that you “make a donation to http://foodbanknyc.org/, to help people in need in his beloved New York, especially his home borough of The Bronx.”
