The Duck Commander may have passed away, but his legacy still lives on in the lives of his children and grandchildren. As fans remember Phil, who passed away at 79, his son Willie is looking back not just at the fame they found but at the quiet lessons that came long before the fame.
His son Willie and granddaughter Sadie shared the final words Phil Robertson spoke to them before his death. These weren’t just emotional goodbyes; they were reminders of Phil’s faith, wisdom, and sense of humor.
Phil Robertson’s last moments were deeply emotional
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Before Phil passed, his son Willie Robertson stood by his bedside. Willie remembered how he used to breakdance as a kid just to make Phil laugh. So he did it again, one final time in that hospital room. And despite his weak condition, Phil looked at him with a smile and said, “Will, you got moves I didn’t know you had.” Willie later shared, “I’m sure Dad’s dancing in heaven right now, strong and full of life.”
But it didn’t end there; Phil whispered, “You’re my brother.” That moment meant more to Willie than words could describe. He explained that Phil had always seen him as more than just a son but as coworkers in God’s Kingdom. It’s why, for most of his life, he just called him “Phil.” Willie also reflected on how most of their conversations were centered around the Gospel, not fame. “He was the Real Deal,” he said, adding that Phil was the same person on Sundays and Fridays.
Phil Robertson’s last words to Sadie were “full strength ahead”
Sadie, Phil’s granddaughter, also sat with him before his final breath. She recalled how he had already experienced spiritual transformation during his life. In her words, he went “from dead to alive by the power of Christ.” Then Phil turned to her and said his last words: “Full strength ahead.”
Phil, the founder of Duck Commander and inventor of his own duck call, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in December 2024. He died at 79, leaving behind a legacy not just of business success but of a strong Christian faith. In closing his tribute, Willie wrote, “Phil, I love you and already miss you. Thank you for raising me the right way… Sleep well, Dad, can’t wait to see you.”