BONNIE Ryan has recalled the traumatic moment she discovered her radio legend dad Gerry had “dropped dead”.
Beloved radio jock Gerry Ryan passed away on April 30 2010 at the age of 53, leaving Bonnie and her four siblings heartbroken.
Gerry and former wife Morah shared kids Lottie, Rex, Babette, Bonnie and Elliott.
Bonnie, who was just 17-years-old at the time of her father’s passing, has always been open about her experience with grief.
And the Dublin influencer, who’s set to launch a new podcast with sister Lottie, reflected on the day Gerry had died using the viral “you’re so funny” TikTok trend, where people explain their dark sense of humour by sharing some of the toughest experiences they’ve had to face.
Bonnie posted a clip which read: “‘You’re so funny’. Thanks, one time I had my bloods taken when I was 17 and was waiting for the results – I got called out of school and my doctor was there to collect me.
“So I 100 per cent thought to myself, ‘Oh jeeze, I’m dying’.
“But really she would tell me my dad had actually just dropped dead.”
Bonnie’s comments section was flooded with support from pals and fans of Gerry after her honest post.
One follower wrote: “Listening to your Dad since before you were born!
“He talked so much about his beautiful kiddos, we all felt like we knew you personally. He was proud as punch.”
One more said: “You poor girl. I loved listening to your Dad on the radio, I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed as much with another presenter since!”
Another remarked: “So sorry Bonnie, you had to go deal with that at such a young age. Your dad was much loved, we will never see the like of him again.”
While one more commented: “I grew up listening The Gerry Ryan show as a teenager, 2FM was played in my job!
“I was really sad when he died . He’ll live on through you.”
Another fan added: “You poor girls were only children. Such an enormous loss for you all to shoulder.”
Make-up guru Bonnie had previously opened up on her own grief journey as Gerry’s 13-year anniversary approached back in 2023.
She said: “Grief is so common. Everyone has lost someone and everyone is going through their own battles or struggles.
“I feel like I’ve gotten the nicest people who follow me, I always say it.
“I don’t know how I got so lucky to have the nicest people who I chat to in my [Instagram messages] everyday.
“And to anyone dealing with grief or loss! Some days are good, some are bad but I promise the good days get better and the bad get fewer.”
TOUGH TIMES
Following her adored dad’s sudden passing, Bonnie also admitted having an “overwhelming irrational fear” that she would lose her mother.
In an honest Q&A on Instagram about grief, one fan wrote how they were suffering with the fear of their second parent dying and having none left.
Bonnie told how she could relate to the same fear and said: “Yes to this. I had an overwhelming irrational fear about this.
“When my dad died I wanted to wrap my mom in clingfilm and bubble wrap and leave her in a corner and say, ‘You just can’t move from here’.
“The fear will eventually go. I think it’s normal to be scared after you’ve lost one parent.”
And Bonnie explained that her family have learned how to cope with the huge loss.
She said: “I think because my family and I have become so good at being so open around each other with talking about my dad that it’s just part of our every day conversation to bring him up.
“He’s brought up in the good situations.
“I think it’s about trying to become really comfortable with bringing them up in conversation.
“So when you bring them up it’s not like, ‘Oh God we don’t talk about it that much and now I’m really upset’. It’s more just natural.”
WORKING THROUGH LOSS
Despite missing her father for big life milestones, the make-up artist feels she’s made better life decisions after her father’s death.
She said: “For me, I get it, it’s very daunting and all your firsts are very daunting as well.
“But I think I actually think I’ve made better life decisions because I want to make him proud.”
Bonnie, who tied the knot with her longtime love John in a stunning ceremony in Italy back in 2022, also told that while it was hard to walk down the aisle without her dad, she knew he was with her.
She said: “I think with your wedding day, I just really drilled it into my head that this wedding day – one, there’s no way my dad’s missing it so that’s fine.
“He’s not missing my wedding day I know he’s going to see me get married.
“And two, I just kept reminding myself that this day is about me and John – my best friend, the love of my life and we’re getting married.
“This is going to be the best day ever and nothing can get in the way of that.”
