“The Real Housewives of New York City” star Jessel Taank revealed that her father died in February.
In an Instagram post shared on March 14, she wrote, “If lust for life were a person, it would be my Dad. His adventurous spirit was rooted in his beloved Kisumu, Kenya, where he spun tales of his mischievous childhood — climbing banana trees, stirring up trouble. A true Tarzan. That was his essence.”
She continued, “He was fiercely passionate. Hot-headed. Loyal to a fault. He had a love affair with navy blue, wearing it just to annoy me. ‘The ultimate Dad color,’ I’d tease.”
“I’ve never known anyone as engaged as my Dad. He wanted Every. Single. Detail. He made friends with everyone, left an impression in five minutes or five hours. People gravitated to him,” Taank shared.
Taank, who was born in London by her Indian parents wrote, “My love for India and my culture came from [my dad]. He called it ‘my India,’ the land of his parents.”
“My dad always turned to face the sun in pictures. Now he’s in the very light he basked in … I’m so grateful you were my dad. We would choose you every time,” Taank concluded.
Taank’s “RHONY” co-star, Jenna Lyons, said of her tribute, “So beautiful.” Sutton Stracke of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” wrote, “I’m so sorry to hear this. I feel honored to have met him. His love for you was apparent and beautiful.”
Taank Has Always Honored Her Parents’ Legacy
As the first “RHONY” star with an Indian background, Taank struggled with opening up about her upbringing during her first season.
However, she told Too Fab in 2023, “I really am very proud of my background, and I will always, as a daughter of an immigrant, share how or where my parents came from.”
While Taank was accused of growing up with a silver spoon by other cast members, she clarified to Too Fab, “[My parents] were very hard-working, middle class people. And I think that maybe when I was telling the story, that didn’t really resonate, because Brynn and Sai had a very different upbringing.”
She added, “My parents instilled a very strong work ethic, and I actually worked really hard to get where I am.”
Taank’s Parents Sacrificed a Lot For Their Kids
Taank shared with Bravo that her parents emigrated to England decades ago amid political upheaval in East Africa.
“It was really tough for them. I can’t even imagine having to uproot your entire family and everything you’ve known and go to a country that is not home. So, growing up, I really felt that struggle,” she told the Daily Dish in 2023.
Of her family’s legacy, she said, “For them, education was such a big deal and that’s kind of why I place such a big emphasis on it.”
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‘RHONY’ Star Jessel Taank Pays Tribute To Her Dad After His Passing: ‘My Hero’