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Bethenny Frankel announces death of her mother Bernadette Birk from lung cancer at 73: 'She was brilliant, funny, cultured and wise'

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Bethenny Frankel announced that her mother Bernadette Birk passed away at age 73 on Friday following a battle with lung cancer.

The reality TV personality, 53, shared the heartbreaking news on Saturday in an Instagram post with throwback photos of her mother and a lengthy caption about their 'complex' but loving relationship.

She touched on their difficult past and their past estrangement in her post but said they still cared deeply about each other and reconciled nearly a decade ago after 12 years of estrangement because of her teenage daughter Bryn, 13. 

Frankel shared that her mother 'adored' being a grandmother to Bryn and left her worldly possessions to her beloved granddaughter. 

In her caption, the Real Housewives of New York City alum — who got candid about her 'traumatizing' divorce from her ex-husband Jason Hoppy on her Just B podcast over a week ago — shared that her mother was 'in pain', but she 'had a sixth sense' around the time of her passing and knew that her mother was finally 'free and at peace.'

Bethenny Frankel announced that her mother Bernadette Birk passed away recently from lung cancer at age 73

Bethenny Frankel announced that her mother Bernadette Birk passed away recently from lung cancer at age 73

The reality TV personality, 53, shared the heartbreaking news on Saturday in an Instagram post with throwback photos of her mother and lengthy caption about their 'complex' but loving relationship

The reality TV personality, 53, shared the heartbreaking news on Saturday in an Instagram post with throwback photos of her mother and lengthy caption about their 'complex' but loving relationship

She wrote about their difficult past and said that her mother was 'complex, in pain, isolated and had demons.' She wrote that Birk was not the best mom but became a wonderful grandmother to her daughter

She wrote about their difficult past and said that her mother was 'complex, in pain, isolated and had demons.' She wrote that Birk was not the best mom but became a wonderful grandmother to her daughter

She wrote that her mother was 'complex, in pain, isolated and had demons.'

Suggesting that they had improved their relationship, Frankel also said that she was the only person her mother wanted to be the notified as the next of kin. 

In her post, the entrepreneur shared photos of her mother dancing with her from what appeared to be her secret wedding to her first husband Peter Sussman in 1996.

In her carousel post, she shared a photo of her mother, perhaps around age 20 when she gave birth to Frankel. 

She also shared a throwback photo of herself as a baby in her mother's arms as they joined their family for a festive Christmas.

She also posted a snap of her mother in a wedding dress and her childhood self standing beside her and the bridesmaids at Birk's wedding to her second husband John Parisella, now 79, in 1975.

In another throwback photo from several years later, Frankel as a teenager could be seen clinking empty wine glasses with Birk as they enjoyed a mother-daughter dinner date.

She also shared a snap of them together wearing tropical vacation attire when Frankel was a young adult.

The last photo in her slideshow included a more recent photo of her mother sharing a big bear hug with her daughter Bryn, 13. In her caption, Frankel shared that they reconciled nearly a decade ago after 12 years of estrangement because of her teenage daughter

The last photo in her slideshow included a more recent photo of her mother sharing a big bear hug with her daughter Bryn, 13. In her caption, Frankel shared that they reconciled nearly a decade ago after 12 years of estrangement because of her teenage daughter

Suggesting that they had improved their relationship, Frankel also said that she was the only person her mother wanted to be the notified as the next of kin and revealed that Birk left all of her worldly possessions to her beloved granddaughter Bryn

Suggesting that they had improved their relationship, Frankel also said that she was the only person her mother wanted to be the notified as the next of kin and revealed that Birk left all of her worldly possessions to her beloved granddaughter Bryn

The last photo in her slideshow included a more recent photo of her mother sharing a big bear hug with her daughter Bryn.

'My mother has died of lung cancer,' she began before opening up about their difficult past and her mother's struggles, which ended up in years of estrangement but ultimately reconciliation.

'She was complex, in pain, isolated and had demons. She was the most stunning woman you have ever seen, who left her abusive home as quickly as I ran from mine,' she continued.

Frankel wrote that despite her mother's personal battles, which affected her childhood, she still had and will remember the 'beautiful memories of her.' 

'She was brilliant, funny, cultured and wise — yet suffered a lifelong eating disorder, alcoholism, abuse, smoking, and self-destruction. Despite not being equipped to be a mother, she loved me and I have beautiful memories of her.

'She taught me food, wit, culture and strength,' she wrote before adding that her mother 'loved to dance.'

But also because of her mother, Frankel admitted she had to grow up at a very young age, which taught her strength and resilience.

'I won't sugarcoat it. I was an adult long before Bryn's age, experiencing things no young child should endure,' she wrote. 'This made me strong, tough, a survivor who is able to handle anything. The universe gave me the most beautiful daughter and my childhood gave me inspiration to break the chain.'

She shared that her mother was battling lung cancer and around the time of her passing, she 'had a sixth sense' and knew that her mother was finally 'free and at peace'

She shared that her mother was battling lung cancer and around the time of her passing, she 'had a sixth sense' and knew that her mother was finally 'free and at peace'

In another throwback photo from several years later, Frankel as a teenager could be seen clinking empty wine glasses with Birk as they enjoyed a mother-daughter dinner date

In another throwback photo from several years later, Frankel as a teenager could be seen clinking empty wine glasses with Birk as they enjoyed a mother-daughter dinner date

She also posted a throwback photo of herself as a child standing beside her mother in a wedding dress as she married her second husband and Frankel's stepfatherJohn Parisella

She also posted a throwback photo of herself as a child standing beside her mother in a wedding dress as she married her second husband and Frankel's stepfatherJohn Parisella

She also shared a throwback photo of herself as a baby in her mother's arms as they joined their family for a festive Christmas

She also shared a throwback photo of herself as a baby in her mother's arms as they joined their family for a festive Christmas

Then, Frankel wrote about reconciling with her mother nearly a decade ago after 12 years of estrangement because of her daughter Bryn, who was age six at the time. 

She previously said that Birk was 'never a mother' to her and that she 'never had a true childhood.' 

In her Instagram post, however, she gushed about her mother's adoration for Bryn and her being a loving grandmother to her. 

'We reconnected so my daughter could know and love her,' she wrote. 'She adored Bryn and they shared a love of art. She had one friend, so my lifelong wish was granted that she wasn't alone. She was selfish in life, yet selfless in death. She left what little she had to my daughter, wished to be cremated, and wanted no one to be notified besides me.'

Just as they were bettering their relationship and rebuilding their connection, Frankel said she felt it when her mother left the world.

'I had a sixth sense she had passed. I had started to release some trauma, was dancing to the song I'm Alive in her favorite designer Alaia dress as she was dying,'

'I remember her as a young woman during periods of happiness loving me and long for those memories of affection,' she added. 'I mourn her loss, her life, her loneliness and my childhood. I mourn her inability to experience motherhood, the most beautiful gift of a lifetime.'

Addressing her mother, Frankel wrote: 'Goodbye mom, Bonnie, Bernadette. You did the best you could and you are free and at peace.'

In her carousel post, she also shared a photo of her mother, perhaps around age 20 when she gave birth to Frankel

In her carousel post, she also shared a photo of her mother, perhaps around age 20 when she gave birth to Frankel

She then shared her gratitude that her daughter inspired and encouraged them to reconcile so Bryn could meet her grandmother.

'I miss my mommy as a little girl and I am grateful for my daughter consistently pushing to meet her and myself for reopening old wounds for their relationship.

'I think of you on this journey with me releasing your trauma and I hug you. Life is about loss and loving. I have had shame in never really having family, yet my very small group of friends, my beautiful Bryn, and you are my family.'

She also encouraged her fans to reach out to anyone they have a 'complicated' relationship with and reconcile. 

'Please call, connect with, or hug someone you have a complicated relationship with today,' she wrote.

Previously, Frankel recalled being raised by her stepfather John Parisella, now 79, from the time she was just five.

Birk and her first husband, Frankel's biological father, Robert J. Frankel — who passed away at age 68 in November 2009 — were married for a brief time before he left and she later went on to marry Parisella, his friend and horse training competitor.

Birk and Parisella later divorced when Frankel was just a teenager.

Birk is survived by her only daughter Bethenny Frankel and her granddaughter Bryn Hoppy. 

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