Marlo Thomas Remembers Late Husband Phil Donahue: ‘I Lost My Sweetheart’

Marlo Thomas has paid tribute to her late husband, Phil Donahue, who died on Sunday night (August 18) at 88 years old following a long illness.

Thomas, who was married to the legendary talk show host for 44 years, took to her Instagram page on Monday (August 19), where she shared a lengthy, heartfelt message.

“Hello, Friends,” she wrote. “I’m sure by now you’ve heard the very sad news that I lost my sweetheart last night, so I know you understand that I’ll be stepping away from this page for a while to take care of myself and the many people who took care of Phil, and held him close to their hearts.”

She continued, “But I didn’t want to disappear without saying thank you for the beautiful messages of love and support that have been coming in all day, and for the wonderful and generous way that you’ve let Phil and me share our life adventure with you over the years.”

Donahue’s family confirmed the star’s passing on Monday, noting he passed away peacefully at home on Sunday night while surrounded by his family, including Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren, and his beloved golden retriever, Charlie.

 

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A post shared by Marlo Thomas (@marlothomas)

“As a man who spent his career loving his audiences, Phil got such a kick out of our cozy little community here, and I know he would be very touched by the heartwarming thoughts and memories you’ve been sharing,” Thomas added.

“Until I return, I wish you good health and happy days in the company of family and friends, and I hope that you will continue to hold close those you cherish most, just as I was blessed to do with my beloved Phillip. Love, Marlo,” she concluded.

At the end of her post, Thomas added, “P.S. This is one of my favorite photos of Phil and me, taken on vacation.” The photo accompanying the post showed her hugging Donahue as they both sat on a moped.

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Legendary Talk Show Host Phil Donahue Dies at 88

Thomas, an actress best known for starring in the 1960s sitcom That Girl, first met Donahue in 1977 when she appeared on his famous talk show to promote her movie Thieves.

In a clip from the interview, Donahue can be seen holding Thomas’ hand and telling her, “You are really fascinating.”

“You are wonderful,” Thomas replies. “I said it when we were off the air, and I want to say you are loving and generous, and you like women, and it’s a pleasure. Whoever is the woman in your life is very lucky.”

Thomas and Donahue tied the knot three years later on May 21, 1980.