Media mogul Oprah Winfrey mourning loss of dad

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey is in mourning after losing her father, Vernon Winfrey. The billionaire businesswoman shared the sad news via her Instagram page, followed by a myriad of condolence messages from her fans, friends, and family. "Less than a week ago we honored my father in his own backyard. My friend and gospel singer Wintley Phipps saluted him with a song. He felt the love and reveled in it until he could no longer speak," Oprah wrote. She went on to express what an honor it was to be in her father's presence as he breathed his last. "Yesterday with family surrounding his bedside, I had the sacred honor of witnessing the man responsible for my life, take his last breath. We could feel Peace enter the room at his passing," She added saying; "That Peace still abides. All is well. Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts." Until his death, Vernon was a barber for over 50 years and owned the Winfrey Barber & Beauty Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. Vernon also served for 16 years on the Metro Nashville Council, in addition to being a trustee for the Tennessee State University. Oprah Winfrey is an American icon and billionaire reportedly worth $2.5 billion (about Sh270 billion) according to a recent report by Investopedia. She also is a multimedia executive, actress, writer, producer, talk show host, and philanthropist whose reach and success extend to nearly all aspects of media across the world. A self-made success story, Winfrey is the recipient of hundreds of awards, from The People's Choice Award for her talk show to the prestigious National Civil Rights Museum's Freedom Award in 2005. Winfrey is the founder and CEO of a multimedia production company, Harpo Productions, and the founder of O, The Oprah Magazine. She is also a spokeswoman and partial owner of many brands, including WW. Her generous philanthropic work reaches local, national, and global platforms. Although Oprah Winfrey ended the iconic Oprah Winfrey Show in 2011, her empire continues to thrive and grow. She also continues to do in-depth interviews on primetime television and streaming services, like one-on-one interviews with renowned actress Viola Davis. She also interviewed Prince Harry and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, Megan Markle in 2021.