Andy Cohen broke down in tears during his show Thursday night, paying tribute to his former employee Kyra Samson, who died from brain cancer at age 28.
The Bravo host became emotional, ending an episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen by honoring Samson.
“Before we go tonight, I have some devastating news to share from our ‘Watch What Happens Live’ family,” Cohen said. “This is hard for me to get through, but on Tuesday night, our beloved former production manager, Kyra Samson, passed away from brain cancer. She was only 28. During her four wonderful years with us, Kyra was known for her sweet smile and gentle demeanor, but she could also be a small-but-mighty enforcer.”
“To see Kyra on a bullhorn corralling massive crowds at BravoCon was truly a sight to behold,” he continued. “She’s going to be terribly missed by all of us here, and no doubt by everyone who was lucky enough know her.”
Cohen, 58, urged viewers to honor Kyra’s legacy by donating to a fund in her name. The Kyra Fund supports people diagnosed with glioblastomas by funding “urgently needed research,” explained the host.
The TV host wiped away tears as he said, “We are sending all of our prayers and love to her family and friends. We love you, Kyra.”
Samson is the daughter of David Samson, former Miami Marlins president. The MLB executive now hosts the podcast “Nothing Personal with David Samson.”
He paid tribute to his daughter on Instagram on Thursday, writing, “Yesterday, my daughter, Kyra, passed away peacefully after a 9 month and 11 day fight against one of the cruelest diseases I’ve ever seen up close. She was diagnosed with Brain Cancer, specifically Glioblastoma. I have felt all of your concern and love for these months and wasn’t ready to be anymore specific than I was.”
“Kyra was a 28-year-old young woman who loved deeply and who is impossible to describe in 280 characters. While her life got stolen from her, she handled these months with courage, poise, and resolve. And all I want is for no family to feel what we feel today. For no young person to suffer the way she did,” he wrote, also asking the pubic to consider donating to the Kyra Fund, which has raised over $300,000 out of a $350,000 goal.
According to The Athletic, Samson was diagnosed after Michael Davies, the executive producer for Jeopardy!, noticed her symptoms and alerted David. She worked on the show as a production coordinator. Davies called David from set. “I’m calling you not as Kyra’s boss but as a friend and a father,” Davies said. “There’s something going on with Kyra.”
Kyra’s father told the New York Times, “I’m lucky. It’s a strange thing to articulate: To say you feel lucky when your child dies at 28 years old would make me sound like the robot that people think I am.”
“But that luck is based on the lifetime of experiences that we had with her, and the lifetime of things she accomplished. If she had been permitted to live longer, there just would have been more of that. But I am thankful for what there was.”
