By Gavin Boyle
The Robertson family won’t forget where they came from as they paid tribute to late patriarch Phil Robertson in the first episode of their new TV show, DUCK DYNASTY: THE REVIVAL.
The tribute featured archival footage of Willie Robertson reading an introduction for the series to his dad, Phil: “So, ladies and gentleman, start your engines. Only one will earn the bandana, so let the games being,” Willie read, asking his father, “What do you think?”
Phil responded with a big thumbs up as the memorial faded to black before showing an in-memoriam tribute.
Phil passed away on May 25 at the age of 79. Though no cause of death has been released, he had been battling severe Alzheimer’s along with a blood disease for months, and his health had been in decline.
“The No. 1 question I get everywhere I go [is], ‘How’s your dad doing?’ Now, I’m just giving the blunt truth. I say, ‘Not good,’” Jase Robertson said in April. “We’re making him comfortable and we’re doing the best we can. I think that’s just what you do.”
Beyond being a great father, the Robertson family has been extremely grateful and blessed by Phil’s strong Christian values. After heading down a destructive path for years, he had a radical encounter with Christ that transformed his life. The entire family is now unwavering about their faith, and it was a major focus throughout DUCK DYNASTY’s run. 2023’s THE BLIND shared Phil’s story and recounted his conversion. A portion of Movieguide®’s review reads:
THE BLIND is a good movie as a Christian testimony. That said, it doesn’t follow the rules of filmmaking. So, it may not win a big audience. The movie is propelled by the jeopardy, and vice and drinking, but Jesus is extolled . THE BLIND is a rough movie. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution, especially for children and young teenagers.
Related: DUCK DYNASTY Stars Talk Phil Robertson’s Road to Redemption in THE BLIND
The Robertson family remains committed to these values in DUCK DYNASTY: THE REVIVAL, which takes a look at where they have gone since the original show ended in 2017.
“Well, yes and no. I felt like we thought after [DUCK DYNASTY ended] that we would be in entertainment because we had fun. We enjoyed doing it,” Korie Robertson told Movieguide®’s Kaelii Williams of if they thought they’d return to TV. “We saw kind of the value of entertainment and the power of entertainment, which you all know very well at Movieguide®.”
Please keep the Robertson family in your prayers as they continue to mourn the loss of Phil.
Read Next: Phil Robertson’s Gospel Legacy: ‘His Life Touched Millions’
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