Duck Dynasty Star Phil Robertson Passes Away at 79
Renowned reality television star Phil Robertson, best known for starring in the hit A&E series Duck Dynasty, has passed away at the age of 79. The news was shared by his family through various social media posts on Sunday, May 25.
According to a report by People, Phil Robertson’s family confirmed his death, months after revealing in December that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The Duck Dynasty star’s son, Jase Robertson, posted a tribute on social media, writing, "My dad has gone to be with the Lord today! He will be missed but we know he is in good hands, and our family is good because God is very good! We will see him again!" as reported by People.
Phil Robertson’s granddaughter, Sadie Robertson Huff, also marked his death with an Instagram post featuring a series of photos of their famous family throughout the years. In a joint Instagram post, son Willie Robertson and his wife Korie Robertson wrote, "We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord." The pair continued, "Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life. We know so many of you love him and have been impacted by his life. We’re having a private service for now, but we’ll share details soon about a public celebration of his life," as stated in the People article.
Phil Robertson’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis was first made public on the December 6 episode of the Unashamed with the Robertson Family podcast, as per People. At the time, Jase revealed that his dad was in the "early stages" of the illness. He further explained that his father’s Alzheimer’s "accelerated, and it’s causing problems with his entire body," adding, "He’s just not doing well. He’s really struggling."
In an April 2 episode of the podcast, Jase spoke more about his dad’s health ordeal, telling listeners that Phil was "not good." He continued, "We’re making him comfortable, and we’re doing the best we can. I think that’s just what you do," quoted in the People report.
Duck Dynasty aired on A&E and followed members of the Robertson family — including Phil and Kay Robertson, alongside three of their sons, Jase, Willie, and Jep, plus several grandchildren and a few of their employees as they worked together at their family business, Duck Commander, as reported by People. The series ended in 2017 after 11 seasons, though it spawned various spinoffs, including Going Si-Ral, Jep & Jessica: Growing the Dynasty, At Home with the Robertsons, and Duck Family Treasure. A&E announced in January that the show would return to the network as Duck Dynasty: The Revival, as confirmed by People.
Phil Robertson, a Louisiana native and the founder and president of the hunting company Duck Commander, started the family business in 1972 with a now-patented duck call, as stated in the People article. He married Kay when she was 17, after she became pregnant with the couple’s first son.
The Robertson family has grown since the popular series ended, with many of the younger cast members starting their own families. Duck Dynasty: The Revival is expected to premiere on A&E this summer, as per the report from People.
Source:
