NEED TO KNOW
Kathie Lee Gifford is marking the 10th anniversary of her husband Frank Gifford’s death — while also celebrating a special friend.
On Saturday, Aug. 9, the former talk show host, 71, shared an Instagram post in which she began by saying, “Today is a day for rejoicing!”
“First of all, I rejoice for my precious friend, Hoda Mama, on the occasion of her Birthday,” she wrote, referring to Kotb, who turned 61 on Saturday. “She is one of the most spectacular people I have ever known and I adore her and I want all her dreams to come true.”
Kathie Lee went on to share why she chooses to “rejoice” on the anniversary of Frank’s death, citing her Christian faith.
“My precious husband, Frank, went home to Jesus 10 years ago today, and he has been at peace and filled with joy and glory since that very day,” she wrote. “I find comfort in that. So, I’m rejoicing in the Lord and how He cares for His loved ones, for His children.”
She added: “Bless all of you today. And I hope you can find the same kind of Shalom in your lives.”
The post featured a photo of Kathie Lee and Kotb hugging in Kathie Lee Gifford Plaza in New York City’s Rockefeller Center, where the Today show is filmed. The two women famously co-hosted the fourth hour of the NBC broadcast from 2008 to 2019, and have remained close friends.
Kathie Lee’s husband Frank — a former NFL player who went on to become an actor and a beloved sports commentator — died in 2015, just one week before his 85th birthday.
The couple welcomed two children together during their marriage, son Cody, 35, and daughter Cassidy, 32. Back in the summer of 2020, both Cody and Cassidy got married, and Kathie Lee told PEOPLE at the time that she could feel her late husband’s presence at the ceremonies.
“At both weddings, we felt Frank just smiling,” she said. “He had an aerial view, I think.”
Cody’s ceremony took place at the Greenwich, Conn., home where he and his sister grew up, “right where we’d spread Frank’s ashes,” the star revealed.
Jim Spellman/WireImage
Kathie Lee also told PEOPLE that she was “grateful” that Frank had an opportunity to meet his kids’ spouses prior to his death.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Frank knew Ben [Wierda], Cassidy’s husband, since he was 14 years old,” she said. “And Frank adored Erika [Brown] — he met her at my 60th birthday. He loved her smile and loved her laugh.”
“He was there for that part of the journey, which was lovely,” Kathie Lee added.
