Gary Dell’Abate Deals with Grief

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When a listener called in to give his condolences to executive producer Gary Dell’Abate for the recent loss of his father, Gary recalled how he received a note that he had to call his mother the morning he died, and knew why right away. Gary added that, once he took care of what he needed to do for his father’s wake and funeral, he finished his work and went to a Counting Crows concert that night.

Jon then played a clip of Gary discussing his parents’ relationship from Monday’s show, noting they were married for decades before getting divorced, only to end up living together again.

Gary also said his father died of lung cancer, and that some of his last words included telling his mother to “shut up” when she told him one of their sons, who had died 15 years earlier, was waiting for him in heaven.