EMOTIONAL REVEAL: ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Willie Robertson Shares Phil Robertson’s Touching Final Words Before His Passing at 79
Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the Duck Dynasty clan and a man known for his unshakable faith, backwoods wisdom, and no-nonsense approach to life, passed away peacefully at the age of 79. But it’s what he said in his final moments that left his family—and now fans around the world—deeply moved.
Willie Robertson, Phil’s son and longtime co-star, broke his silence just days after the family laid Phil to rest in a private service by the bayou. What he shared was simple, but it carried the weight of a lifetime of faith, family, and redemption.
“Dad wasn’t a man of many dramatic words,” Willie said, his voice steady but thick with emotion. “But the last thing he said to me before he closed his eyes was, ‘Take care of your mama, and don’t stop preaching Jesus.’”
Willie paused. “He said it with a smile. Like he already knew where he was going.”
For those who followed Duck Dynasty and the Robertsons’ journey beyond TV screens, those final words didn’t come as a surprise. Phil spent decades speaking boldly about the Gospel, even after walking away from a lifestyle that nearly destroyed his young family in the 1970s. Redemption wasn’t just part of his story—it was his story.
Willie shared that in the days leading up to Phil’s passing, the family gathered around him daily. “We read Scripture. We sang hymns. We laughed—because that’s what Dad wanted,” he said. “He didn’t want a somber goodbye. He wanted joy. He wanted peace.”
But even so, the final moment was hard. “You can prepare yourself in your head,” Willie said, “but when your dad takes his last breath, it still knocks the wind out of you.”
Phil’s last words were a passing of the torch—not just to his children, but to every person who looked up to him as a voice of truth in uncertain times. “He wanted to be remembered not for duck calls or television, but for pointing people to Christ,” Willie said. “And I think he did that right to the very end.”
The Robertson family has since released a short video tribute showing Phil in his final days—reading his Bible, surrounded by grandkids, and praying with Miss Kay by his side. It’s not a glossy production. It’s real. Raw. And unmistakably Phil.
Fans from around the world have flooded social media with prayers and stories of how Phil’s words impacted their lives. “I never met him,” one wrote, “but he helped lead me back to faith. That man changed lives.”
Though the loss is still fresh, Willie says his father’s presence hasn’t left. “Every time I open the Bible, I hear his voice. Every time I pray with my kids, I remember who taught me how.”
And as for those final words?
“They weren’t just for me,” Willie said. “They were for anyone willing to pick up the call. Love your family. Keep the faith. Preach Jesus. That’s how he lived. That’s how we’ll go on.”