So heartbreaking. On the night of the season finale of her hit TLC series My Big Fat Fabulous Life, star Whitney Thore took to Instagram after the episode aired to announce the sad news that her best friend Tal Fish‘s father suddenly passed away. Tal’s father Rufus Fish passed away on Tuesday, March 20 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and both Tal and Whitney shared touching tributes to his memory on social media.

“I am so grateful for the love that Tal and his family have always shown me, and grateful that his parents raised him to be such a wonderful person who enriches the lives of so many,” Whitney wrote on Instagram. “The whole family was able to see him in the last week, and Tal visited him shortly before it happened, so that is an enormous gift. I hadn’t seen Mr. Fish in years but I was fortunate enough to visit him last week as well — he was sharp, hilarious, kind, and so proud of Tal. Please keep Tal and his family in your thoughts through this time.”

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I didn’t post last night because Tal lost his father, and it was an emotional night for him and his family. I am so grateful for the love that Tal and his family have always shown me, and grateful that his parents raised him to be such a wonderful person who enriches the lives of so many, including those of you who love him and know him from #MyBigFatFabLife. The whole family was able to see him in the last week, and Tal visited him shortly before it happened, so that is an enormous gift. I hadn’t seen Mr. Fish in years but I was fortunate enough to visit him last week as well— he was sharp, hilarious, kind, and so proud of Tal. Please keep Tal and his family in your thoughts through this time. . And want to say thank you for sharing this season with us. There is one more episode next week (same time and place) and we hope you’ll join us. We’ll see y’all later! 💚

A post shared by Whitney Way Thore⚡️ (@whitneywaythore) on

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Fans immediately flooded the comments section, sending their condolences to the Fish family. Tal also took to Instagram to announce the news, and he revealed that his uncle also passed away on the same day that his father died. Because of the sad news, Tal went to visit his father and he was able to spend time with him and hug him one last time.

“We are heartbroken, but there is relief in knowing he is free from pain and struggle. I was blessed to be loved by this man, and could not have asked for a better father,” Tal wrote. “God knew what he was doing in sending me out there to be with him during his last hours on this earth. Love you forever, Dad.” Our thoughts are with the Fish family during this difficult time.