Already have an account?
Get back to the

Kathie Lee Gifford Recalls How She Told Her Daughter About Frank’s Death: “We Couldn’t Get in Touch With Cass”

Kathie Lee Gifford and Cassidy
Kathie Lee Gifford couldn't get ahold of daughter Cassidy the day of Frank's death

Kathie Lee Gifford couldn’t get ahold of her daughter, Cassidy, the day that her husband, Frank Gifford, died. The Today show co-host recalled on Friday, Aug. 21, one of the most difficult things she had to do was track down their daughter, who was aboard a flight.

Related: PHOTOS: Stars gone too soon

"The hardest part of the day — other than finding Frank — was that we couldn't get in touch with Cass because she was in the air," Kathie Lee said of her 22-year-old actress daughter, who was en route to New Mexico to shoot her upcoming movie Angels and Outlaws.

Kathie Lee, whose husband passed away on Aug. 9, said that they then tracked down Cassidy during a layover in Minnesota and got a message to her to call home.

Related: PHOTOS: Recent celebrity deaths

 

“The worst thing you want to do is ever get news like that from a monitor while you're walking wherever you are,” she added. "We got her home and we pulled the wagons together."

Cassidy and her brother, Cody, 25, were also on hand to help their mom get back to work come Aug. 17.

Related: PHOTOS: Most memorable Today show moments

"They were sitting in the kitchen waiting for me," Kathie Lee said. "I said, 'What are you guys doing up?' They said, 'We're going to go in with you, Mom.'" Hoda added: “Cody was standing, and he was just watching. He didn't want to be on. He just had his arms folded, watching his mom to make sure she was okay. It was beautiful.”

Frank, a former New York Giants star and sportscaster, died of natural causes at his Connecticut home. He was 84.

In this article

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!