Keri Hilson is mourning the loss of her father, who she says was “the coolest, the countriest, the funniest, the smartest” man she knew.
The “Pretty Girl Rock” singer took to Instagram Sunday to honor her late father, Skip, after he passed away this past weekend. The cause of death is unknown, but according to Hilson, it was unexpected. He was 71.
“I wasn’t ready. I don’t wanna do this. But I want to honor you in as many ways as I can,” she wrote in a caption on the platform.
Clearly a daddy’s girl, Hilson described how much she was like her father, and how much he influenced her life.
“I am so much of him. My eloquence, my love of words & writing, my cynical sense of humor, my rapid-fire nature, my whistling, my optimism, my eyes, my love for singing, gold jewelry, sports, horses, even painting…turns out, I’m just a ‘SKIP’ off the old block’,” she said of the man to whom she has attributed her love of music.
Hilson added that she’s “so proud to carry so much of this man in my being. Most were natural, but others were developed from a daughter’s admiration.”
In a series of photos and videos attached to the post, Hilson also shared her last days with her father, including Christmas, his recent 71st birthday and his 40th anniversary with his wife, Christine.
“So happy I could be there,” she wrote. “As [a] ‘celebrity,’ [I] would have [been] absent for many cherished moments.”
“I’m truly going to miss you Dad. I already do. So many wishes left in my heart. I hope you visit me in my dreams so they can come true,” Hilson continued. “I’ll take it.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Hilson and her family during this difficult time.