Oprah Winfrey celebrated her dad, Vernon Winfrey, with a special barbecue on the Fourth of July. The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) mogul shared the celebration in an Instagram video, saying that they have been planning a backyard barbecue that is more than a backyard barbecue as it is for the Vernon Winfrey Appreciation Day.
The 68-year-old TV star shared that she wanted to make sure her father knows how much he is loved, according to Today. Oprah said that her father is ill, and so they wanted to be able to have all of his friends come and celebrate him while he is still able to receive the joy.
When her best friend, Gayle King, asked off camera if her father had any idea what the barbecue was about, Oprah said he did not even know it was for him. She added that her dad thought the barbecue was a Fourth of July thing.
Oprah shares video of outdoor party for ailing dad
The video posted on social media also showed a glimpse of the outdoor party in Nashville, Tennessee, which included food such as hamburgers, brisket, and fried chicken. Oprah's father, who worked as a barber before, made an appearance in the last few seconds of the video clip. He was seen sitting in a barber's chair, according to People magazine.
The TV icon also shared the touching meaning behind her father's celebration in the video's caption: "Giving my father his 'flowers' while he's still well enough to smell them. Happy 4th of July as you gather with your family and friends. Remember to celebrate each other."
Illness of Oprah's father still a mystery
Oprah did not disclose any details about the nature of her father's illness in her post, according to Yahoo. She has been spending time with her family in Nashville over the past few days, sharing videos and pictures on Instagram of the preparation for her dad's appreciation day.
In one recent Instagram photo she posted, Oprah was seen holding a mop while her cousin Burnice raked the yard as they were getting ready for the backyard barbecue. She also shared a video clip of her family shelling crowder peas for the upcoming barbecue celebration, writing in the caption that she was back to her Nashville roots.
Oprah's dad, reportedly in his late 80s, was a barber for over five decades in the city of Nashville. Her mom, Vernita Lee, died in Milwaukee back in 2018 at the grand old age of 83. She passed away on Thanksgiving at her home.
Lee, born on May 2, 1935, gave birth to Oprah as a teenager in Mississippi in 1954. She worked as a housemaid throughout her life, settling in Milwaukee when Oprah was six years old after moving from the South.
