‘Don’t forget to say I love you’ – Bonnie Ryan remembers final phone call with dad Gerry on 15th anniversary

The beauty influencer (32) paid tribute to her father, Gerry Ryan, on social media today, describing her dad as “the coolest, most caring and understanding”.

In a story on Instagram, Ms Ryan wrote: “15 years ago today we lost our wonderful Dad. The coolest, most caring, understanding Dad I could have ever wanted.”

“I may have only had him for 17 years, but he left me with enough love to get me through the rest of my life.

“I miss him every day, and days like today can feel too heavy if I think too much about it – I rather think of all the special times we had together,” she added.

The RTÉ 2FM broadcaster, Gerry Ryan, died unexpectedly from cardiac arrhythmia on April 30, 2010.

He left behind five children – Bonnie, Lottie, Rex, Babette, and Elliot.

Ms Ryan continued: “Every show of mine he came to, every dance class he drove me to, days I got to go to work with him, our holidays, our hugs, his hands, the way he tapped his thumb on his steering wheel while he drove and listened to music, his Sunday roasts, the funny Disney merch he would wear on holidays.”

“The kisses on my head, the silly jokes he would make that would embarrass me, the music he played too loud, the random text message telling me he loved me, and to keep the faith.

“Me and my family were so loved by him but we loved him more than you can imagine. 15 years ago today we lost our wonderful Dad, but I’ll never lose these memories he left me with,” she added.

She has also spoken about the final phone call with her father, Gerry Ryan, one day before his passing.

In a post on social media yesterday, she remembered the final conversation with her dad over the phone.

“This day, 15 years ago, was the last time I ever spoke to my dad,” she said in a video posted on TikTok.

“It was on the phone, and he was annoyed at me because I’ve gotten two parking tickets in one week, so kind of fair enough.

“Anyway, I was then annoyed at him because he was annoyed at me, and I remember handing the phone away to my sister, going: ‘Oh, take it. He’s getting angry at me’. And I didn’t say to him ‘goodbye’, and I didn’t say to him that I loved him.

“Little did I know, the very next day, I would find out that my dad had passed away and my whole world was going to be rocked forevermore,” she added.

Today’s News in 90 Seconds – April 30th

Ms Ryan, who currently lives in New York, also shared a “reminder” with her followers not to forget to appreciate their parents and loved ones.

“And this is your reminder – don’t forget to say ‘I love you’. Don’t forget that life is so fragile and you just don’t know what’s coming around the corner,” she said.

“If you have your parents, give them an extra squeeze, or whoever it is that you love in your life, because you just don’t know what could happen.”

Lottie Ryan (39), Bonnie’s sister and Gerry Ryan’s daughter, has also shared a family picture on her Instagram story as a tribute to her father.