Kelly Ripa Makes A Heartbreaking Confession About The Passing Of Her Co-Star

"As people get older," Kelly Ripa said, when her former LIVE! co-star Regis Philbin died in July 2020 at age 88, "you always know that certain things are inevitable. Passing away is one of those things, but Regis...we all believed would figure out a way around the inevitable." She echoed the sentiments of millions who were watching Live! With Ryan and Kelly. What many viewers didn't know, however, was that Kelly had lost more than her longtime co-host in 2020. A heartbreaking confession reveals her powerful statement was influenced by a mentor from her past.

Giving Her Tribute

On a March 2020 episode of Live! — months before Regis passed — Kelly made an announcement. Speaking to her co-host Ryan Seacrest, she said, "I had a really bad weekend this weekend. A very dear friend of mine, a friend for almost 30 years, passed away over the weekend. He was a great actor, a really great friend, one of the funniest people I've ever met."

A Heartfelt Conclusion

Ripa then concluded her touching tribute: "He died way too soon. His daughter and my daughter are good friends. They're the same age. I just want everyone to know, Eva and Kaya, we are thinking of you and we are so sad. So devastated. So I apologize in advance if I seem out of it. I really actually am, I'm terribly out of it. So forgive me."

Devastating News

In March of 2020, Ripa received the devastating news that one of her co-stars on All My Children, John Callahan, suffered a massive and unexpected stroke at the age of 66 and died. Both Ripa and her husband spent years getting to know Callahan, and it was almost too much to handle.

"Way Too Young"

She continued, "His name is John Callahan. He was 66 years old, way too young to be taken from us. Ryan, you never knew each other, but you two would have loved each other." According to Ripa, Callahan was quite the amusing character on set.