Conan O’Brien’s Unbelievable Healing Journey After His Parents’ Double Funeral

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Conan O’Brien knows that laughter is the best medicine.

Indeed, it resonated when he hosted the 2025 Oscars, three months following the demise of his parents, Dr. Thomas F. O’Brien and Ruth Reardon O’Brien, who passed away in quick succession in December. During this time, Conan was at the peak of his career, forcing him to take on the task.

In an interview with NBC News on May 14, the comedian expressed that one should accomplish tasks even without having a choice, and he found this to be truly remarkable.

On December 9, as he was filming his Max series titled “Conan Must Go,” the 62-year-old man found himself reminiscing about the phone call he received concerning his father’s passing.

In Austria, Conan’s brother Luke phoned him with the news that their father had passed away. Upon hearing this, Conan swiftly boarded a van, then various planes at different airport terminals, eventually reaching Boston. When he entered the room, he found his father’s bed vacant, and his mother was in the bed beside him instead.

He went on, speaking about his mother. It was clear she was about to go, an experience he found quite strange. Tragically, both his mother and father passed away within just three days of each other.

During the tragic passing of his father and his mother (who was 92 when she passed away), Conan found himself juggling several responsibilities. This included hosting the Oscars for the first time, wrapping up his Max series, dealing with an unforeseen situation as they had to flee their home due to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles in January, and arranging a joint funeral. It was indeed a challenging period for him.

Later, the funeral turned into a dual event, causing a flurry of preparations and a wave of emotions. As soon as Christmas ended, I thought, ‘Right, it’s time to focus on the Oscars because there isn’t much time left.’ But then, wildfires broke out, forcing us to evacuate. Fortunately, we were living in a hotel at the time. The fire came dangerously close, but thankfully our house remained unharmed.

Instead of being overwhelmed by his current circumstances, Conan found solace in immersing himself in his work, referring to the Oscars’ writers’ room as a therapeutic haven during the tumultuous times in his personal life.

Conan mentioned that he’s been friends with many of these individuals for over three decades. He expressed that it feels rejuvenating to be in the presence of genuinely funny people who appreciate him, especially as they collaborate on a project aimed at creating something uplifting, optimistic, and whimsical.

He continued, “In essence, it served as a kind of healing experience for me.” He regretted that his parents couldn’t witness the Oscars in person, but they managed to catch quite a bit. They witnessed many exciting things, and they took great pride in it. So, I knew they were able to see a lot.

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2025-05-14 20:47