Jessel Taank’s father, Kishor Taank, has died. He was 68 years old.
“My Dad. My Hero. Our North Star ✨,” the Real Housewives of New York City star, 45, wrote via Instagram on Friday, March 14. “May 1956 – February 2025🤍🤍🤍.”
Jessel’s post included a slideshow of throwback pics of her dad over the years. The Bravo personality also featured notes of memories she had with her father over the years.
“If lust for life were a person, it would be my Dad,” she penned. “His adventurous spirit was rooted in his beloved Kisumu, Kenya, where he spun tales of his mischievous childhood — climbing banana trees, stirring up trouble. A true Tarzan. That was his essence.”
Jessel added that her dad exuded many qualities from being “fiercely passionate” to “loyal to a fault.” She shared that he had an affinity for talking economics and would offer her advice.
“He loved talking about money — ours, other people’s — always the finance guy,” she recalled. “He interrogated us about our spending habits. ‘You have to save your money,’ he warned. ‘But that’s not fun,’ I argued. ‘Being broke isn’t fun,’ he’d counter. We’d never listen.”
While looking back on her connection with her dad, Jessel recalled how interested he always was about the people around him.
“I’ve never known anyone as engaged as my Dad. He wanted Every. Single. Detail. He made friends everywhere, knew everyone, left an impression in five minutes or five hours,” she wrote. “People gravitated toward him. He only wanted to practice happiness and it was infectious — when he walked into a room, you felt the energy shift.”
Jessel also gushed about her dad’s relationship with her mom, Nicky Taank, and how their love story was one for the books.
“He married my mum — the Cindy Crawford to his bald Richard Gere — and together they built a life of family, travel and laughter,” she reflected. “‘Your parents don’t act like parents,’ people always said. They weren’t. They were my best friends — crazy, spontaneous, a little nuts.”
Jessel remembered how her dad would always pose for photos while looking at the sun, lamenting that “he’s in the very light he basked in.”
“It’s easy to be overcome with sadness, but sadness only serves our selfish purpose. Instead we move forward with gratitude,” she penned. “I’m so grateful you were my dad. We would choose you every time.”
A cause of death was not revealed.
Many of Jessel’s friends and Bravo family members took to the comments section to send their condolences.
“I’m so sorry to hear this. I feel honored to have met him,” Sutton Stracke replied. “His love for you was apparent and beautiful.”
Jessel’s RHONY costar Jenna Lyons applauded the tribute writing, “So beautiful Jessel 💔💔🕊️.”
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