Mark Consuelos is mourning the loss of his beloved father, Saul Consuelos, who passed away on March 23 after a long battle with illness. In an emotional moment on Live with Kelly and Mark on April 6, Mark shared the heartbreaking news of his father’s death, reflecting on Saul’s incredible impact on their family and the lessons he left behind.
“Saul was the greatest person I’ve ever known,” Kelly Ripa, Mark’s wife, said tearfully during the show. “I will miss him every single day for the rest of my life, as I know you will, as our children will.”
Mark and Kelly’s three children, Michael (28), Lola (24), and Joaquin (23), are struggling with the loss, as it marks the first death they’ve experienced in their lives. “This is their first loss,” Kelly explained. “I had no grandparents by the time I was eight. You got to have those deep, meaningful conversations with them.”
Mark opened up about the invaluable lessons he learned from his father, recalling how Saul would teach him through hands-on experience. “If you asked him what time it was, he’d teach you how to build a watch,” Mark laughed. “I learned so much from just watching him. Now, at home, I can do at least half of the things he used to do.”
Saul’s journey to the U.S. from Mexico and his decades of service in the U.S. Navy shaped his brilliant life. Mark shared, “He came here from Mexico as a teen, served his country for 30 years, and ended up at Special Operations Command in Tampa. He was always learning, always brilliant, even earning his Master’s while I was a kid.”
“He loved his country so much,” Mark added. “If you want a face for what this country promises immigrants, it would be him.”
Kelly also reflected on Saul’s constant presence in their family life, always stepping in to help while Mark was working. “A lot of times you’d be away, and your dad would come on the road to help take care of the kids,” she said. “He was so involved in our lives.”
In a heartwarming story, Kelly recalled how people often mistook Saul for Mark while attending school events. “They thought he was my husband! It was such a sweet, funny mix-up,” she said with a smile.
Mark, who had the chance to say goodbye to his father while rehearsing for his Broadway play Fallen Angels, described the production as a “welcomed distraction” during such a difficult time. “I know he’s watching,” Mark said.
Kelly, deeply moved by Mark’s strength, shared, “You’re the strongest person I know. You continually inspire me every day. All the good things I love about you, I loved those same things about your dad.”
As the Consuelos family grieves, Mark shared that they are focused on supporting his mother, Camilla Consuelos. “We’ve got to take care of mom,” he said. “We’re trying to convince her to move to New York.”
“Cooking with Camilla!” Kelly teased. “Put her to work!”
In the midst of sorrow, the Consuelos family is holding on to the beautiful legacy Saul left behind — a legacy of love, strength, and wisdom that will never be forgotten. 
