Duck Dynasty: The Revival premiered June 1, 2025, only a few days after the unfortunate death of the man who started it all, Phil Robertson. The Duck Commander CEO died on May 25, 2025, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. While the revival opens up a new chapter for the Robertsons as the baton is passed to the next generation, Phil’s absence makes it all rather bittersweet. After watching the Robertson family patriarch take his duck calling empire to new lengths on the original Duck Dynasty, it’s hard to imagine the journey going ahead without Phil being there to witness it.
However, as the family grapples with the loss and attempts to honor Phil’s legacy, another key figure in the Robertson household, Kay Robertson, also known as Miss Kay, is dealing with health troubles of her own. Longtime viewers of Duck Dynasty know how integral Miss Kay has been, not just to the Robertson household but also to the business. Sure, she’s not out there on the field every day, but without her wisdom and no-nonsense attitude, there would be no one to keep the family grounded and true to their Southern values as they expand their empire.
‘Duck Dynasty’s Miss Kay Robertson Opens up About Her Hospitalization
In February 2025, Miss Kay had been hospitalized after a severe fall that resulted in surgery. On an episode of The Duck Call podcast, Jase and Si Robertson gave an update on the reality star’s health and the toll it had taken on the family, especially given that Phil was struggling with his health at the same time. Miss Kay’s fall resulted in several injuries, including a broken foot that left her unable to walk on her own. Jase revealed that his mother had started using a walker to retain her mobility.
After Phil’s death, the family reported that Miss Kay wasn’t in the best of health as she came to terms with the loss. However, it seems like things are finally settling down since the Robertson family matriarch appeared on The Duck Call on July 9, 2025, to put all the rumors to rest. During the episode, Miss Kay addressed the internet’s claims about her allegedly deteriorating health and joked that she was still alive. “I’m tired of being dead,” added the cookbook author.
Alan Robertson went on to explain that his mother is a private person compared to the rest of the family. In fact, she initially wanted to go into retirement and be excluded from the revival entirely. However, Willie Robertson, who has taken over as the lead of Duck Dynasty: The Revival, is making sure that his mom continues to be an important part of the show.
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Miss Kay Still Has a Positive Outlook on Life
While addressing Miss Kay’s surgery and hospitalization, Alan shared that she has been working hard in physical therapy and has even lost some weight in the process. “I’ve been super proud,” added the former pastor while commending his mother for powering through the most difficult time of her life. Miss Kay chimed in to prove that she continues to be in good spirits despite everything that has been going on. The reality TV star admitted that her hospital stay was actually pretty positive, with the staff members constantly coming in to talk to her and ask for autographs.
Alan Robertson Explains His Mother’s Dementia Diagnosis
All of that aside, though, the family did confirm one of the rumors that has been floating around about the Duck Dynasty matriarch’s health. Alan confessed that his mother has “a little bit of dementia,” which has been a struggle for the family. However, he was quick to explain that Miss Kay’s memory issues are not as severe as Phil’s Alzheimer’s. It is important to understand, though, that dementia is a condition that worsens over time. For the Robertson family, navigating Miss Kay’s slowly deteriorating cognitive health adds another layer of difficulty to an already emotionally stressful time.
Not to mention Miss Kay’s battle with depression after losing Phil, whom she had been with since their high school years. In fact, her presence at Phil’s emotional funeral took everyone by surprise, given that she was still recovering from her surgery. After the service, Willie spoke to USA Today and shared that his mother needs time to deal with losing her partner of 60 years. Regardless of that, Miss Kay sat in the front row at the service and was seen smiling throughout the event, which honored her late husband’s legacy.
Duck Dynasty: The Revival airs every Sunday on A&E.