Kathy Griffin’s Mother Maggie Dead at 99: ‘I Am Gutted’

Kathy Griffin’s mother, Maggie Griffin, has died at 99, the comedian revealed Tuesday night. In an emotional tweet and Instagram post, Griffin made the announcement to her 2 million followers.

“My Mom, the one and only, Maggie Griffin, passed away today. I am gutted. My best friend. I’m shaking. I won’t ever be prepared,” the 59-year-old comedian wrote. “I’m so grateful you guys got to be part of her life. You knew her. You loved her. She knew it. Oh, and OF COURSE she went on St. Patrick’s Day.”

On Instagram, Griffin made a similar, lengthier announcement. “My Mom, the one and only, Maggie Griffin, passed away today. Hours ago. I am gutted,” she captioned a photo of the two of them sitting poolside. “She was my best friend. She was my family. You knew her. She appreciated you guys so much. I’m shaking. I won’t ever be prepared. Her point of view. So unique. We just GOT each other. I’m so grateful you got to be part of her life. You loved her. I know it. She knew it. She’s irreplaceable.”

“I’m telling you right now, I am not doing well with this. I’m rambling now. Sorry. It truly feels like the end of an era,” she continued. Oh, and OF COURSE she went on St Patrick’s Day. I love you guys.”

Many of Griffin’s famous friends, including Chrissy Teigen and Suzanne Somers, replied with messages of support. “So sorry Kathy, she was one of a kind. I loved her. RIP so sorry for your loss,” Somers wrote. “Oh Kathy. I am so, so sorry. We love you,” Teigen said.

Last June, Griffin rang in her mom’s 99th birthday while sharing the news that Maggie’s dementia was getting worse. At the time, she shared a photo of the two on the red carpet together “to celebrate happier times.”

Griffin first opened up about her mother’s ailing health in January 2019 in a social media post. “As heartbreaking as this is, I feel the need to share some important info about my mom Maggie. I’ve always been honest with you all, but this one is really hard. The photo below, taken in September, was the last time I was able to have a proper/coherent conversation with her,” she said at the time. “Since that photo was taken, she has rapidly fallen into the throes of dementia. This is never easy for any child, I know this is a reality that millions of people deal with every year. But when it comes to my mom this is particularly hard because her sharp mind was everything.”

Maggie appeared on Griffin’s Bravo reality series My Life on the D-List from 2005 to 2010. In January, Griffin also talked about what it meant for viewers to learn about her mom through the show. “What I am most proud of when it comes to My Life On The D List is that show gave me the opportunity to show the world how naturally funny my parents were. When people tell me they feel like they know my mom, I always respond ‘you do!’” she wrote.

Maggie’s death comes amid a rough couple of years for Griffin, who lost both her older siblings, Gary and Joyce, to cancer in 2014 and 2017, respectively. However, one positive development came earlier this year when she married her longtime boyfriend, Randy Bick.