Kathie Lee Gifford is “distraught,” but “strong” in the wake of her husband Frank Gifford’s passing last Sunday, according to her Today Show colleague Al Roker. Roker chatted with the HuffPost Live on Friday about Kathie Lee and her devastating loss.
“You know, we reached out [to Kathie],” Roker said. “And she is very strong but obviously, very distraught. The thing I love about Kathie Lee is that she jokes around… at her core, she is such a woman of faith. And while this is a tragedy for her and her family, I know she knows it’s God’s will. While she’s sad, I think she rejoices in the time she had with Frank and these two beautiful children they had together.”
Frank Gifford died of natural causes at home in Connecticut at the age of 84. Earlier this week, Kathie Lee Gifford’s co-host and dear friend Hoda Kotb weighed in on Frank’s death.
“Kath said something to me yesterday,” Kotb shared. “She said, ‘This is not a tragedy.’ I was holding her hand, and she said, ‘A 4-year-old girl having cancer is a tragedy. Frank lived to be almost 85.’ She said, ‘He lived an incredible life, has an incredible family, had an incredible legacy.’ She said, ‘His life is a triumph.’”
Al Roker paid tribute to Frank Gifford, too, saying, “Here’s a guy I grew up watching him play football when I was a small kid, and then watching him on Monday Night Football. He’s pretty much what you see on television, this self-effacing, low-key guy is who you see in person. So vibrant!”
Al Roker gives an update on how Kathie Lee Gifford is doing after her husband's passing: http://t.co/JuhPzOZtgK pic.twitter.com/ldgGRGm2Bj
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) August 15, 2015
“I’d been out to Kathie Lee’s maybe about six months ago,” Roker added, “and he comes driving up in a convertible with his sunglasses on, and it’s like, ‘Geez, it’s Frank Gifford. Frank Gifford!'”
Kathie Lee Gifford has long been a devout Christian, and she has relied on her strong faith to see her through this difficult time. She has taken to Twitter to share words of Scripture with her followers.
Want to encourage u with this: by His power God raised the Lord from the dead and He will raise us also. 1Corinthians 6:14
— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) August 11, 2015
in tears now, not from grief, but from reading all the incredibly kind and moving messages you are sending to me and my children blesse
— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) August 11, 2015
Blessed!! And may God richly bless each of you in return. #grateful
— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) August 11, 2015
May the God of hope fill you with all joy n peace as you trust in Him that u may overflow w/hope by the power of the HolySpirit. Romans15-13
— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) August 13, 2015
On Friday, Kathie Lee Gifford sent a warm congratulatory Tweet to Today Show colleague Jenna Bush Hager on the arrival of her new baby girl, Poppy Louise Hager.
Welcome little Poppy girl! You are going to have a blast bc your parents are crazy fun. We can't wait to watch you grow. @JennaBushHager
— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) August 15, 2015
As both Al Roker and Hoda Kotb can attest, Kathie Lee Gifford is grieving, but thankful, too–that she had a life with Frank Gifford. She realizes how blessed she was to have had him until he was nearly 85 years old.
Faith is clearly helping Kathie Lee Gifford put Frank’s passing into perspective. It will no doubt continue to strengthen and guide her in the days to come.