Sadie Robertson shared Phil Robertson‘s last words to her and a photo that looks to have been snapped during his final moments.
The 79-year-old Duck Dynasty star and Unashamed podcast host died on Sunday (May 25) after a health battle that included Alzheimer’s disease. Family members immediately began sharing memories and praising a life well-lived.
- Duck Dynasty was a popular A&E show from 2012 to 2017.
- A reboot called Duck Dynasty: The Revival is scheduled to begin on June 1.
- Phil Robertson had been dealing with several serious health issues in recent months.
Related: Watch the New Duck Dynasty Reboot Trailer
Sadie posted a carousel of pictures to Instagram, including pictures taken when she was a little girl and some snapped at her wedding.
“As I was sitting with Papaw Phil today, I thought about this verse,” she said in a post on Sunday (May 25).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
“He has already experienced this on earth — going from dead to alive by the power of Christ!”
Like so many family members and hundreds of his fans from the TV show and his other works, Sadie praised her grandfather’s commitment to God and Jesus Christ. While Duck Dynasty was the vehicle for Robertson’s fame, this was the message he sought to spread.
“It was his testimony that changed his life, our families life (sic), and thousands of others. Now he is experiencing it in the fullness. Fully alive in Christ. The new has come,” Sadie writes.
Then, she revealed the last conversation she had with him:
Phil Robertson’s Final Words
Jase Robertson first shared that Phil was battling Alzheimer’s last December, and soon after, Willie added a long list of other serious obstacles their dad was staring at. Things continued to look grim in the new year, and nobody ever sugar-coated his prognosis. Phil was not expected to be a part of the new Duck Dynasty show in June.
The last photo in Sadie’s carousel shows a woman holding an older man’s hand, presumably this is a tender granddaughter and grandfather moment. He’s nestled under covers, and various tubes and wires can be seen around him.
“One of the last things he said to me was, ‘Full strength ahead!'” she writes.
It’s not certain these were Phil Robertson’s last words on earth, but they were among the last words he spoke to Sadie. Her husband, Christian, echoed the sentiment in the comments section of the post. Comments from other family members can be found elsewhere.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
We’re not even six months into 2025, and already country music has suffered some devastating losses.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker