Phil Robertson has died at 79 after battling Alzheimer’s, his son Willie Robertson and daughter-in-law Korie revealed, just days after reflecting on the “Duck Dynasty” patriarch’s “powerful” legacy and the way he “did every part God wanted him to do on this earth.”
“We have fun today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord. He reminded us often of the words of Paul, ‘you don’t grieve like those that don’t have any hope.’ For we imagine that Jesus died and rose again, and so we imagine that God will bring with Jesus those that have fallen asleep in him,’’ Willie and Korie Robertson shared in a joint social media post on Sunday.
“Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life saved by grace, by his daring faith, and by his desire to inform everyone who would take heed to the Good News of Jesus. We are grateful for his life on earth and can proceed the legacy of affection for God and love for others until we see him again.”
Phil’s son, Jase Robertson, later shared his own tribute post on X, writing, “My dad has gone to be with the Lord today! He will likely be missed but we all know he’s in good hands, and our family is sweet because God is excellent! We will see him again!”
Robertson, a Louisiana native and founding father of the Duck Commander company, built a business empire around his now-patented duck call, which later inspired the wildly popular television series that aired for 11 seasons between 2012 and 2017.
Alongside his wife, Kay, and their sons, Jase, Willie and Jep, Phil became a household name known for his deep Christian faith, rustic lifestyle, and unfiltered wisdom.
Phil’s battle with Alzheimer’s was first publicly disclosed on the Dec. 6, 2023, episode of the “Unashamed with the Robertson Family” podcast. At that point, Jase shared that his father was within the early stages of the illness, but noted that the condition had begun to speed up. “It’s causing problems along with his entire body,” he said. “He’s just not doing well. He’s really struggling.”
Two days before his passing, Willie and Korie Robertson shared an update on Phil’s health in an interview with The Christian Post, revealing he wouldn’t appear in “Duck Dynasty: The Revival” — a recent iteration of the series — set to premiere on A&E this summer.
“He was unable to film,” Willie said. “He’s not great. Alzheimer’s is sort of a cruel situation to undergo. But there are glimpses we’ve got, some good times and a few moments with him, however it actually has progressed.
“We feel good concerning the life he’s lived, and he actually does as well, and just the impact,” he added, referencing the “hundreds” of baptisms the Robertson patriarch performed in his backyard. “Such a strong voice. He did every part I believe God wanted him to do on this Earth and he’ll be able to move on, of course.”
In a previous interview with CP, Phil Robertson reflected on how, in 2013, he was suspended from “Duck Dynasty” over his candid comments about homosexuality and religion in a GQ profile. He was swiftly condemned as a bigot by LGBT activist groups, including The Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD.
“Five or six years ago, a man got here up and asked me, did I feel homosexual behavior was a sin,” Robertson told CP. “I quoted 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: ‘Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the thieves, the greedy drunks, they will not inherit the Kingdom of God,’ Robertson said, citing [Paul’s letter] to the church at Corinth. ‘But you have been washed, you have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus,’” he added.
“I just simply quoted him a verse, a Bible verse, where God stated what it’s,” he added. “So it took him two weeks to work out all I did was quote a Bible verse. He asked me a matter … and I just quoted [the Bible]. And after I quoted it, he took it and ran with it, because he thought I used to be just blowing smoke just off the highest of my head.”
Though backlash from the secular media was swift, the daddy, grandfather and great-grandfather noted that in consequence of his boldness, “quite a lot of good got here forth.”
“We converted far more after that,” he said. “See what I’m saying? God works in mysterious ways.”
Long before the celebrity and success, Phil’s life was marked by turmoil. His early years were fraught with alcoholism, anger and emotional instability, all portrayed within the 2023 biopic “The Blind.”
The film traces Robertson’s life from his childhood through 1985, culminating in his spiritual conversion. Disillusioned by his father’s abandonment and spiraling into addiction, Robertson eventually surrendered his life to Jesus — a change that will reshape not only his life but his family’s for generations to come back.
“Fame is reasonably fleeting, as you recognize, or should know,” Robertson told CP in a 2013 interview.
“Money can come and go, and fame comes and goes. Peace of mind and a relationship with God is much more necessary, so that is the precedent that we have set in our lives. The bottom line is, all of us die, so Jesus is the reply. Many have told me through the years: ‘I believe I’ll take my probabilities without Jesus.’ And I all the time come back and say, ‘so what likelihood is that?'”
Robertson quoted 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and cited it as being certainly one of the scriptures he likes to share with people.
“So principally, I do not ever move too far past the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, since it’s of first importance. And I be sure that it’s of first importance with anyone I’m talking to. It all comes right down to that, really, if you get right right down to it. So it is not complex. Jesus removed our sins and guarantees we will be raised from the dead. I’m still waiting on someone to enlighten me on what story beats that one.”
 Phil Robertson has died at 79 after battling Alzheimer’s, his son Willie Robertson and daughter-in-law Korie revealed, just days after reflecting on...){kind=link}