Whether it be her husband and kids, or her parents and siblings, The Morning Show’s Kylie Gillies is constantly emphasising the importance of family.
WATCH: Kylie Gillies Pays Tribute To Her Late Dad
Growing up, Kylie explained that she had a “very basic upbringing”.
“I am a meat and three veg girl. We used to sit around the dinner table every single night. Takeout was a treat,” the presenter told the Daily Mail in 2018, before adding: “we didn’t have money to have chocolate biscuits every single night.”
Her humble upbringings were defined by her loving parents and siblings, who, along with her now husband and kids, the star cherishes above all else and it was Kylie’s sister that gave her the best piece of parenting advice when she became a mother.
“After Gus was born, she wrote a note that said: “You are Gus’ mummy. Whatever you do, it will be the right thing for him,” the star told Body + Soul.
It’s clear that this emphasis on familial love has become a huge part of Kylie’s character; she is constantly highlighting the importance of friends and family.
“When I look around and see my family and my friends, I realise how blessed I am,” Kylie told Good Health & Wellbeing in 2019.
“I’ve had some horrific things happen to really good friends and family around me,” she said, tearing up. “Huge, life-altering experiences. It does help to add perspective.
“All of us will have hardships come our way and some days, weeks, and years, are going to be tough. But hopefully you have people around to support you. To have your health and to have the love of your family and friends is really what happiness is all about. Everything else is just window dressing.”
When Kylie lost her father Ron Wills just weeks after his 91st birthday, the devastation was palpable.
Kylie broke the news to her personal Instagram, accompanied by a montage of family memories.
“Our darling dad,” the Dancing With The Stars celeb wrote. “A much-loved husband to my Mum for 57 years, and a Grandpa to four grandchildren who adored him.”
Kylie also spoke about the devastating loss during The Morning Show, which she co-hosts with Larry Emdur.
“In the early hours of last Tuesday, we lost one of life’s true gentlemen and the kindest man I know… my dad,” an emotional Kylie said on air.
The star went on to call her late father a “proud protector” of herself and her sister Stacy.
“Dad – Ron or Ronnie as he was known – loved the footy, cars and people. Gee, he loved a chat. To anyone and everyone.”
Heartbreakingly, the COVID pandemic lockdowns made it impossible for Sydney-based Kylie to attend his funeral in Queensland, meaning she had to watch the service via a livestream in her lounge room.
“If I could have crawled through the computer screen to get there and give my mum and sister a hug, I would have,” the host said.
“As mum said in her letter to Dad, ‘thank you for the life you gave us’. We will love and miss you forever.”
Just weeks earlier, Kylie was sadly forced to miss her dad’s 91st birthday as it was also in Queensland.
Despite being unable to mark the milestone in person, the morning show host honoured her father via a sweet throwback shared to her Instagram.
“Happy 91st dearest Daddy,” Kylie wrote. “Not long now ‘til we get you that telegram from the Queen.
“I know Mum, Stacy and Julia spoiled you on your special day… as you deserve to be. Xxx from all us down south. Xx.”
Over the 2020 Christmas holidays, Kylie pulled off a last-minute rush to her family home to reunite with her dad, travelling solo without her husband and kids.
“I reckon I got the last ticket, on the last flight out tonight to Brisbane,” Kylie wrote.
“My sister is now driving the more than 3 hours from Hervey Bay to collect me..and we’ll turn around and head back to the bay. Mum & Dad’s is the destination ❤️,” the star continued, before adding that her “three boys” weren’t with her.
“Hoping for a Christmas miracle somehow. A short border close?? 🙏 Almost everyone I know has had their Christmas plans skittled in one or another. My heart goes out to all of you. ❤️”
These days, the presenter continues to honour the legacy of her late father with tributes.
Two months after his passing, the family-orientated presenter took her mum on a road trip to her hometown, where her parents lived for 60 years.
“Tamworth girls gone wild 🎸🎸🎸,” Kylie wrote on Instagram. “It was Mum’s first trip back since 2018. It was great. Emotional but heart-warming.”
Soon after, in December, Kylie posted a throwback shot from her parents’ wedding day to commemorate the first time in 58 years that her mum didn’t have her husband “by her side” for the milestone.
“But they made 57 years and 8 months of beautiful memories together and today we’re thinking of all those good times,” Kylie wrote.
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