Conan O’Brien is reflecting on the remarkable lives his parents lived after their passing, just days apart.
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The comedy legend’s father, Dr. Thomas O’Brien, passed away on Monday, Dec. 9, after a period of declining health, per The Boston Globe. Just three days later, on Dec. 12, his mother, Ruth Reardon O’Brien, passed away “peacefully,” according to an obituary shared by the Bell-O’Dea Funeral Home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Thomas, 95, and Ruth, 92, were married for an incredible 66 years.
So sad to learn that both of Conan O’Brien’s parents died within the past week (only a couple of days apart).
— Rob Dean (@neuroticmonkey) December 13, 2024
My heart goes out to the whole family. pic.twitter.com/pVljhm2O3w
In The Globe, the 61-year-old The Simpsons and SNL writer paid tribute to his parents in their obituaries. He labeled his father as “the dreamer” and his mother as “the realist” of the duo.
“My dad was the one who was saying, ‘I’m off to Peru with a change of clothes in my briefcase to try and launch this website for a hospital there high in the mountains,'” the former late-night host said.
Thomas was known for his research on antimicrobial drug resistance. He was the first director of the infectious diseases division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Conan also occasionally joined his father on his travels. He recalled a trip to South America in seventh grade as a particularly meaningful experience they shared.
“He thought, ‘You’re going to learn more traveling through these various neighborhoods and cities in South America for a week and a half than you will in public school in Brookline.’ I think he put the travel bug in me,” Conan added.
Conan O’Brien Calls His Parents ‘Kindred Spirits’
Ruth was also highly respected in the law field. Conan called her “iconic,” noting how she managed “all this mom stuff” while becoming the second female partner at Ropes & Gray.
“My mom was the one who saw to it when we were little kids that we were fed,” Conan explained. “[She had] our clothes were laid out, and that we got to our dental appointments and medical appointments.”
Conan called his parents “incredibly hard-working and disciplined.” He also told the outlet, “I think what my mother and father saw in each other was that they were kindred spirits.”
A joint funeral service for Thomas and Ruth was held on Wednesday, December 18, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.