Patrick O'Neal will make sure his father's pets are loved and cared for after the actor passed away at the age of 82 following a struggle with multiple health issues.
- Dec 11, 2023
AceShowbiz - Ryan O'Neal's son has promised to take care of the late actor's dogs. The "Paper Moon" star died on December 8 after battling leukemia and various other health issues, and Patrick O'Neal admitted seeing his dad's devastated pets really made his grief hit, but he's vowed to ensure they are loved and cared for in the future.
"And I thought I was sad until I saw his loving dogs. I'm going to make sure they are going to [be] ok. He'd want that more than anything. Breaks my heart," Patrick wrote while sharing an image of two short white-haired dogs on X, formerly Twitter.
And I thought I was sad until I saw his loving dogs. I’m going to make sure they are going to ok. He’d want that more than anything. Breaks my heart. 😞 pic.twitter.com/KC1oID2Skw
— Patrick O'Neal (@Patrick_ONeal) December 9, 2023
Patrick had been the one to announce the "Love Story" actor's death at the age of 82. He wrote on Instagram, "So this is the toughest thing I've ever had to say but here we go. My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us."
"This is very difficult for my wife Summer and I, but I will share some feelings to give you an idea of how great a man he is. My father Ryan O'Neal has always been my hero. I looked up to him and he was always bigger than life."
The sportscaster - whose mother is actress Leigh Taylor-Young - went on to reflect that his dad was already a star on US soap opera 'Peyton Place' by the time he was born but he admitted that be "absolutely crushed" the following decade by becoming a big name in Hollywood in a string of cinematic hits.
He added, "When I was born in 1967 my dad was already a TV star on Peyton Place. That's where he met my mom Leigh Taylor-Young, and about 9 months later (give or take a date night or two) I was born. My dad became an international movie star with Love Story at the beginning of the 1970's, a decade he absolutely crushed by starring in movies like What's Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, Barry Lyndon, A Bridge Too Far, The Main Event, and The Driver."
"He is a Hollywood legend. Full stop. The growth spurt of the first name Ryan can be traced back to my dad. That's a fact. He was Rodney Harrington on Peyton Place 3 days a week (he starred in 500 shows over 5 years) and then of course the name Ryan peaked after Love Story (the film that saved Paramount Studios and earned my dad a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame) (sic)."
Ryan is also survived by actress daughter Tatum O'Neal, 60, and son Griffin, 59, from his first marriage to the late Joanna Moore as well as his youngest son Redmond, 38, who he had with late Hollywood icon Farrah Fawcett.
