Jax Taylor announced that his father, Ronald Cauchi, has died after battling stage IV cancer.
“My heart is broken, I lost my best friend and the best man I have ever met last night,” the Vanderpump Rules star, 38, tweeted on Thursday, December 28. “I love you so much dad I can’t even breathe anymore, only person not letting me fall right now is my amazing girlfriend [Brittany Cartwright]. I love you dad.”
My heart is broken, I lost my best friend and the best man I have ever met last night, I love you so much dad I can’t even breathe anymore, only person not letting me fall right now is my amazing girlfriend. I love you dad.
— Jax Taylor (@mrjaxtaylor) December 29, 2017
He later shared a lengthier tribute on Instagram, writing, “My dad loved his family more than anything in the world he was the ‘perfect father’ and wanted everyone to get along and be happy. Cancer took my dad way too soon but I have to hope and pray that god has a bigger plan for him. … thank you dad, thank you for giving me everything I needed in life with out a question. I hope one day I can be half the father you are. … Thank you so so much to everyone who has reached out. I haven’t been in a place to respond to everyone but it means so much.”
Taylor’s costars responded soon after with messages of support. Cartwright tweeted, “Jax & his family are going through a really really hard time right now. Please keep them all in your prayers & respect their privacy.” Tom Schwartz wrote, “Let’s flood @mrjaxtaylor with love and compassion. So sorry for your loss my friend.” And Peter Madrigal tweeted, “I’m so sorry brother.”
Jax & his family are going through a really really hard time right now. Please keep them all in your prayers & respect their privacy. ❤️
— Brittany Cartwright (@BNCartwright) December 28, 2017
Let’s flood @mrjaxtaylor with love and compassion. So sorry for your loss my friend ❤️🙏
— tom schwartz (@twschwa) December 29, 2017
I’m so sorry brother.
— Peter Madrigal (@LLPJMadrigal) December 29, 2017
The Bravo personality first revealed earlier this month that his dad had been battling cancer. “Yes cancer f–king sucks, watching my father go through this is killing me.. prayers to all the families that have to deal with this awful disease,” he tweeted on December 4. “I don’t wish this disease on my worst enemy. #f–kcancer watching your loved ones battle while I sit and watch is the worst feeling.”
Taylor later told The Daily Dish that Cauchi was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer around October. “It’s rough, because my dad, he’s like my idol,” he said on December 11. “My dad was always the person who never got sick, I always looked up to him. … It’s hurt our family. It’s hurt everybody. It just really sucks. During the holidays, it doesn’t make it any easier.”
The reality star echoed similar sentiments in a recent interview with Us Weekly. “What do I want for Christmas this year? I want cancer to be out of my father’s body,” he said. “If I can ask for anything right now, I just want my dad to be better.”