Celebrity Wheel of Fortune's Ryan Seacrest opens up about losing his dad

Ryan Seacrest is mourning the loss of his father, Gary Seacrest, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 81.

The Celebrity Wheel of Fortune host announced the news on Instagram on Friday, writing, 

"It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that my loving father peacefully passed away earlier this week. My mom, sister, and I have peace knowing he is in a better place and free of any pain or suffering. We are heartbroken."

He concluded the message with, "Dad, you will live in our hearts forever. I love you."

Remembering Gary Seacrest’s legacy beyond Celebrity Wheel of Fortune

Although the fans of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune are used to Ryan Seacrest as someone charming and calm on the screen, off-screen, he has a habit of attributing his professional work ethic and values to his parents.

Gary Seacrest, the U.S. Army veteran and retired real estate attorney, helped Ryan start the Ryan Seacrest Foundation (RSF).

The Seacrest family is a close-knit one, and Gary was an important person in the personal life of Ryan, as well as in the foundation with his name.

The foundation also honored Gary in a post shared on Instagram: 

"Together with his wife Connie and their children Meredith and Ryan, Gary helped found the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. He took immense pride in the joy and inspiration it brings to children and families during some of their toughest times, and his warmth, kindness, and unwavering support helped shape who we are today."

Ryan posted on Instagram in October 2021 that his father was fighting cancer for some years, and at the time he posted the message, he believed that the illness was no longer detectable.

In an episode of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, however, in July 2024, he admitted that the cancer had come back and was more severe.

"When you see a parent suffering and when you see them going through this and you don't understand it yourself, you're just listening to all the different doctors and trying to make sense of what they're trying to suggest and do," Ryan said during the broadcast. "I didn’t want to miss trying to understand who these people were that were taking care of my father."

Gary also experienced some health problems, which consisted of a pneumonia fight amid chemotherapy that had him languishing in the ICU.

Ryan talked about how it was one of the most difficult times of his life as he attempted to balance his work, including shooting Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, and spending time with his father.

On July 20, Ryan's parents sent him a hopeful photo of them at the beach. He cried. 

"They just wanted to look at the water. They can't do much. But I saw him smile. I saw my mom smile," he recalled. "I'm embarrassed to – I'm just emotional. I am so – anyway, I watched them over the weekend, [they sent] photos of smiling and happiness, and being together. They've been married for over 55 years, and they've got each other."

During the summer, Seacrest also talked frankly regarding the emotional cost of the experience of watching both his parents cope with cancer, disclosing that his mother, Connie Seacrest, is in remission. 

"The disease affects every one of us in some way," he said on On Air with Ryan Seacrest. "And it sucks. The treatments suck … treatments are tough."

As Celebrity Wheel of Fortune continues its new season, Seacrest’s tributes to his father have struck a chord with fans who have followed his journey from American Idol to morning radio and now the iconic game show.

Stay tuned for more updates.