Kelly Ripa Pays Tribute to Ryan Seacrest Amid Dad’s Brave Cancer Battle

Kelly Ripa shared her well wishes for “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest and his family as his dad bravely battles cancer. The “Live With Kelly & Mark” star shared hosting duties with Seacrest from 2017 to 2023.

Kelly Ripa Sends Love to Ryan Seacrest’s Family

On July 22, Ripa and her co-host/husband Mark Consuelos shared kind words of support for Seacrest after his recent heartbreaking family update.

“I want to send our love to our friend Ryan Seacrest. [His father, Gary] is battling prostate cancer, and apparently it’s gotten worse and it spread,” Ripa said.

She added, “We want to send our love” to Seacrest’s family.

Consuelos added, “Love you guys.”

Ryan Seacrest Gave an Emotional Update on His Dad’s Health

Seacrest broke down in tears during his July 21 “On Air With Ryan Seacrest” radio show as he shared the details of his father’s cancer diagnosis.

“I haven’t shared this on the air because it has been very private for me and my family, as it was something that was extremely hard to see with my father,” Seacrest said. “I have a very close relationship with my father and my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer years ago.”

He revealed that treatment was unsuccessful and his dad ended up in the ICU while he was hosting “American Idol.”

“It didn’t get better, it got worse and it spread,” the host shared. “It didn’t go well for him. He caught pneumonia. I was on an ‘American Idol’ show live during last season and my sister called me and she said, ‘Dad is in the ICU and how fast can you get here?'”

Seacrest continued, “I finished the show, we were almost done. I couldn’t even, I didn’t even remember what I was saying while I was on the show. I said ‘good night’ and I went to the airport immediately and got on a flight and got to Atlanta overnight.”

He recalled that there was “a life or death conversation” about “an emergency surgery.” Ultimately, they decided against surgery and Seacrest stayed in Atlanta to support his family.

It’s been a long journey for his father. “He didn’t leave his seat or hospital or home for four and a half months,” Seacrest explained. “I went back and forth over the weekends … And my dad, his birthday is in a few days. And I asked him, first of all, to see him getting stronger, I was just so happy. And I asked him, ‘What would you like for your birthday?’ And of course, he said, ‘I just want to get out of this chair. I just want to leave this house.'”

The “Wheel of Fortune” host continued through tears, “And so last night, I got the most powerful … the most powerful, good, happy picture of my dad and my mother who was with him. They went to a beach to sit outside. They just wanted to look at the water. They can’t do much. But I saw him smile. I saw my mom smile.”

Seacrest added, “I watched them over the weekend send photos of smiling and happiness and being together. They’ve been married for over 55 years. And they’ve got each other. And his pneumonia is gone, but his cancer is not. And so we have to go back into another treatment and fight this cancer. And it is just, it’s difficult.”