Phil Robertson Leaves An Eternity-Focused Legacy That Will Last Well Beyond Duck Dynasty’s Fame
Around the time Duck Dynasty cemented itself as a fan favorite, just a year after its cable TV debut in 2012, late Duck Commander Founder and Robertson family patriarch Phil Robertson told interviewers that his family’s goal was to “infuse a little good into the American culture.”
“Love God, love your neighbor, hunt ducks. Raise your kids, make them behave, love them,” Robertson continued. “I don’t see the downside to that.”
More than a decade later, the “Happy, Happy, Happy” 79-year-old was called to heavenly home, just six months after his family announced he was in the “early stages” of Alzheimer’s disease.
Robertson was always much more than a promising football star who prefaced the great Terry Bradshaw, a Christian camp director, a skilled hunter, patriarch of one of Louisiana’s most famous families, founder of the nation’s most recognizable duck call company, and a reality TV star. That’s because long before Robertson and his family captured viewers’ attention on their hit A&E show, Christ captured Robertson’s heart and changed his life in radical and seemingly impossible ways.
When the promise of Robertson’s entire dynasty was at risk because of his sinful behavior, he leaned into the transformational power of his Savior’s sacrifice to turn his life around. The result was astounding.
Despite an affair that led to a child and an addiction that threatened to change his life for the worse, Robertson stayed married to his wife, not only maintained a relationship with his kids but built a flourishing business with them, made amends with the daughter he discovered in 2020 that he had out of wedlock, and reaped the reward of 16 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Robertson quickly became known to his blood, his peers, and Americans as a servant and follower of Jesus who desperately wanted the world to partake of the same sanctification and peace he received.
Robertson didn’t give a duck’s quack when the yuppies running A&E tried to cancel him for paraphrasing Paul’s warning to the Corinthians about sinful behavior, including homosexuality. Instead, he leaned into unashamedly sharing Biblical wisdom, along with his quotable one-liners, and advancing God’s kingdom every chance he got.
Until his last breath, Robertson made it clear that he loved God, his family, and his country. What better legacy could a man leave?
Robertson was very clear that when he died, he didn’t want to be mourned in the traditional sense. His instruction to “dance, sing, but don’t cry” is a much easier assignment for those who understand the eternal implications of Robertson’s role as a good and faithful servant.
Jordan Boyd is a staff writer at The Federalist and producer of The Federalist Radio Hour. Her work has also been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and RealClearPolitics. Jordan graduated from Baylor University where she majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow her on X @jordanboydtx.
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