‘Duck Dynasty’ Patriarch Phil Robertson Dead at 79

Phil Robertson — the popular leader of Duck Dynasty‘s Robertson family — died on Sunday.

Family shared the news on social media, with granddaughter Sadie Robertson adding a particularly poignant photo carousel of memories on Instagram.

• Duck Dynasty was a popular A&E show from 2012 to 2017.
• A reboot called Duck Dynasty: The Revival is scheduled to begin on June 1.
• Phil Robertson had been dealing with several serious health issues in recent months.

Related: Watch the new Duck Dynasty Reboot Trailer

“We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord,” Korie Robertson, wife to Phil’s son Willie, wrote just after 7PM CT on Sunday (May 25).

She goes on to thank those who thought of or prayed for Phil, and makes clear that his calling to be a servant of God and Jesus was of utmost priority in life.

“We are grateful for his life on earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again.”

Neither she nor Sadie referred to Phil’s caused of death, but his family had been honest about that since late 2024.

How Did Phil Robertson Die?

Last December, Phil Robertson’s son, Jase Robertson, revealed his dad was suffering from Alzheimer’s during an episode of their Unashamed Podcast. Soon after, Willie would share more.

Talking to FOX News, he said that his dad fractured his back and was suffering as he recovered. He also had a blood disorder that was causing his body to produce too much blood, which led to mini-strokes.

“It’s hard with the mental stuff,” Willie said. “It’s hard to determine exactly what these causes are, especially with early signs, it’s hard to determine brain damage from stroke or is that Alzheimer’s?”

An enlarged spleen made things even worse. Since Christmas, the Robertsons have not tried to sugarcoat their father’s health. He was not expected to appear in the Duck Dynasty reboot this summer.

“We know so many of you love him and have been impacted by his life,” Korie continues. “We’re having a private service for now, but we’ll share details soon about a public celebration of his life.”

While she didn’t note when Phil died, Sadie alluded to sitting with him earlier on Sunday. Alongside nine photos from her wedding, her time with him as a little girl, and both of her grandparents together, she said she thought about a verse from the Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:17.

“He has already experienced this on earth — going from dead to alive by the power of Christ,” she says.

“It was his testimony that changed his life, our families life, and thousands of others. Now he is experiencing it in the fullness. Fully alive in Christ. The new has come.”

Phil Robertson’s redemption story was a central part of the family’s popularity. In their own ways, they’ve all continued to spread his gospel, with him or in his absence. In 2023, a movie called The Blind told his story.

Phil Robertson Controversies

Phil Robertson was born to two very poor parents in 1940s rural Louisiana, but excelled at school and athletics, to the point that he was able to play football at Louisiana Tech University. He graduated with a master’s degree in education.

He married “Miss Kay” in 1964, but the early years of their marriage were rocked by his drug and alcohol use and infidelity. Eventually he found God and turned his life around. During this time, he was a teacher, a bar manager, commercial fisherman and more.

All along he was an avid duck hunter, and he developed a duck call as a young man that would become the foundation for the Duck Commander company, now run by Willie Robertson. This led to his TV fame. The Duck Dynasty show was an original mix of God, family values, good-ole-boy mischievousness and business.

In early 2014, as the show was at its most popular point, Phil Robertson gave an interview with GQ and labeled homosexuality as sinful. His strong rebuke made national headlines and led to a suspension from the show. He would later apologize and insist he doesn’t judge anyone.

Robertson didn’t miss any time on Duck Dynasty and stayed with the show until the end. More than 1,000 episodes of the Unashamed Podcast have aired.

In addition to his wife Kay, Phil Robertson leaves behind sons Willie, Jase, Alan and Jep. Late in life he also learned he had a daughter named Phyllis.