Erin Lichy mourns the death of her father.
The The Real Housewives of New York star (37) revealed that her father Eliahu Yitzhari passed away on Tuesday, October 1.
In an Instagram tribute, Lichy remembered Yitzhari by sharing a lengthy message and a carousel of several photos, old and new. “My heart and soul. My best friend, my courage, my strength, my superpower,” the caption began.
“How grateful I am that I had you as a parent to guide me, to lift me up, to teach me how to live life to the fullest. Your generosity is unmatched and I learned not only how many people you quietly helped but also what a lasting impression your kindness left,” she continued. “Knowing I will never see you smile or sing on the other end of the phone is a heartbreak that I didn’t know it existed, but somehow I know you’re still around. You have given me the greatest gift and I can feel nothing but sincerely grateful that you are my father.”
Looking back on her father’s “last days,” Lichu recalled: “You told me ‘״בלי אהבה, לא שעשון כלו’ – Without love, nothing is worth living. I cried so much because of the natural beauty of that sentence that you let out of your mouth so freely.”
“Your soul is pure,” she continued. “True, happy, loving energy, and you gave us 5 pieces of that. You left this world so beautifully, with your children by your side until the very end, and you made it clear that your dying wish was for the 5 of us, your legacy, to stay together. We will honor you every day.”
Lichy concluded by calling her father the Hebrew word for “Daddy,” writing, “I love you forever my Abba my angel.”
The first painting in Lichya’s tribute shows her as a child sitting on her father’s lap. In another, she showed her on his shoulders laughing. She also shared a message thanking Yitzhari for his presence in her life.
Eliahu Yitzhari (left) with Erin Dana Lichy (right) and her daughter (center).
“When I started to see my dad refuse, one thing kept going through my mind – the words thank you,” she wrote. “It was an honor to be his daughter.”
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She praised him for “believing in me” and for treating his children “as if they were the center of the universe”. She then thanked him for calling her every day and making her embrace her “power to use her mind as control over her life.”
Mentioning her four siblings, she also thanked her dad for teaching them to be a “unit” that “will continue to be 5 branches together.”
“We will make you proud and fulfill your legacy. We love you forever,” it ended.
More photos followed the written message, including a touching shot from her wedding, Yitzhari with her two children, and several sweet text messages he sent her.
Eliahu Yitzhari and Erin Dana Lichy.
Erin Dana Lichy/Instagram
“You’re a great mom, I’m proud of you,” one read.
“I forgot to tell you… I love you,” said another.
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Lichyeva RHONY costars took to the comments to express their condolences.
Ubah Hassan said: “Erin, anyone who looks at these pictures can feel the deep love you and your father shared. A relationship like that is rare and beautiful, something you will always carry with you, forever woven into the fabric of your heart. In this difficult time, I hope you allow the love and warmth of those who care for you to surround and comfort you, especially now that your heart is searching for answers.”
Jessel Taank also commented: “He was such a bright and beautiful light and had such a strong presence that he will no doubt live on. 🤍🤍🤍”
“💔💔💔💔💔🕊️Thinking of you and sending love – I’m so sorry – such a beautiful tribute ❤️❤️❤️,” Jenna Lyons wrote.
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Source: HIS Education