Bethenny Frankel Mourns Loss of Her Mother, Bernadette Birk
Published: April 20, 2024, 9:24 p.m. ET
Bethenny Frankel, the former star of “Real Housewives of New York City”, is mourning the loss of her mom, Bernadette Birk, who passed away at the age of 73 due to lung cancer. Bethenny candidly shared the news on her Instagram account.
In the Instagram post, Bethenny described her mother as a complex person who was often in pain, facing her own demons, and coping with an abusive past. She acknowledged her mother’s struggles with an eating disorder, alcoholism, abuse, and self-destruction, while also highlighting her brilliance, humor, culture, and wisdom.
Bethenny expressed her love for her mother and the beautiful memories she had despite the challenges. She revealed that she recently reconnected with her mom for the sake of her 13-year-old daughter, Bryn, ensuring that she could know and love her grandmother.
Bethenny shared that her mother had a strong bond with Bryn and a mutual love for art. She expressed gratitude that her mom had at least one friend and was not alone in her final days. Bernadette’s final wishes include being cremated, leaving what little she had to Bryn and Bethenny, and requesting that only Bethenny be notified of her passing.
In her heartfelt Instagram post, Bethenny also revealed that she had a sixth sense about her mom’s passing and released some trauma by dancing to the song “I’m Alive” while wearing her mom’s favorite designer dress. She expressed a mix of emotions, longing for the loving memories of her mother as a young woman, mourning the loss and pain, and reflecting on the impact of her complicated childhood.
The former reality star also shared that she regards her stepfather, John Parisella, as her true father figure, as he raised her since she was five years old. Bethenny’s relationship with her mom has been rocky throughout her life, and she has previously spoken about her mother’s inability to fulfill the role of a nurturing parent. Despite the challenges, Bethenny emphasized the importance of maintaining connections with loved ones, even if the relationships are complicated.
Condolences poured in from fellow reality stars who expressed their support for Bethenny during this difficult time. Guedry Abraira from “Real Housewives of Miami” emphasized Bethenny’s willingness to be candid about her relationship with her mom, while Vicki Gunvalson from “Real Housewives of Orange County” and Snooki from “Jersey Shore” offered their condolences.
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