‘RHONY’ star Erin Lichy reveals her father died: ‘A heartbreak I did not know existed’
Erin Lichy’s father, Eliahu Yitzhari, has died.
The “Real Housewives of New York City” star announced the sad news via Instagram on Tuesday, sharing several photos of them together over the years –– including at her wedding, from her childhood and him with her own kids.
“My heart and soul. My best friend, my courage, my strength, my superpower. How grateful I feel to have had you as a parent to guide me, to uplift me, to teach me how to live life to the absolute fullest,” she captioned the emotional post.
“Knowing I won’t see you laugh again or sing to me on the opposite end of the phone is a heartbreak I did not know existed, but somehow I know you are still there,” she continued. “You have given me the greatest gift and I cannot feel anything but sincerely grateful to you for being my father.”
The Mezcalum founder revealed that before he passed, her dad told her the Hebrew phrase, “Without Love, Nothing is Worth Living For.”
“I cried so hard for the natural beauty of that sentence that you so freely let fall from your lips. Your soul is pure. A genuine, happy, loving energy and you gave us 5 a piece of that,” she reflected.
“You left this world so beautifully, with your children by your side until the very end, and you made it very clear that your dying wish was that us 5, your legacy, stick together. We will honor you every single day. I love you forever my Abba, my angel.”
Lichy later took to Instagram to thank everyone for the “outpouring of love” she received after sharing the devastating news.
“I came home to so many things sent to my home and messages it’s almost overwhelming (in a good way). If I haven’t responded please know I saw your message and it means a lot to feel such an incredible amount of support when going through something like this,” she captioned a pic of her holding her dad’s hand before he passed.
Lichy admitted that she “can’t imagine the heartbreak feeling less painful,” but it has “helped” her to hear the stories of how other people got through the loss of their own parents.
“Just taking it day by day. I love you all so much. Thank you again ❤️❤️,” she ended her Story on Wednesday.
The real estate agent received thousands of comments from friends, fans and her fellow “RHONY” stars expressing their condolences.
“Erin, anyone who looks at these pictures can feel the deep love you and your father shared,” wrote Ubah Hassan. “A bond like that is rare and beautiful, something you’ll carry with you always, forever woven into the fabric of your heart. In this difficult time, I hope you allow the love and warmth of those who care for you to surround and comfort you, especially now when your heart is searching for answers.”
Jessel Taank commented, “He was such a bright and beautiful light and had such a strong presence that without a doubt will continue to live on. 🤍🤍🤍.”
Meanwhile, Sai De Silva shared, “Love you so much Erin! Although you can no longer see him, you gained an angel that will forever walk by your side. 🕊️🤍.”
