Sad news for the Portwood family. The Daily Mail has confirmed Amber Portwood’s father Shawn has passed away.
After being put in a medically induced coma last week, Amber began publicly asking for prayers for her father. Shawn Portwood was brought to a hospital in Orlando after complications that caused his liver to fail.
Everyone please pray for my father he’s in ICU…I appreciate it and sending love always
— Amber Portwood (@AmberLPortwood) December 14, 2014
Unfortunately, the medical intervention wasn’t enough to save his life. Amber’s brother, Shawn Jr., said, “My dad passed away last night. He was 50. He was put in an induced coma on Friday after liver surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center. We are making burial arrangements now.”
Shawn Jr. recounted the painful moment when he told his sister about the news of the their father’s passing. “When I called Amber to tell her, she didn’t say a whole lot of anything,” he said. “She was too busy crying. He’s been sick for a while but there is no way to prepare for this.”
We can only imagine how hard this must be for Amber given their close relationship. Shawn Jr. elaborated on the importance Amber’s father played in her life.
My dad was the most important person in Amber’s and my life. He was a very strong-willed person and even though he was battling illness for a very long time, he never gave up. … I know that he helped Amber because he gave her strength to get better. He is the reason she was able to turn her life around. He set the precedent for what she needed to do to get better. What Amber was able to accomplish by getting her life back on track had a lot to do with our dad. I know for a fact that he was always proud of what we accomplished. Me and Amber. He was proud that she was able to get through those tough times.
At the end of the day, Shawn Jr. wants his father to be remembered in a positive light.
He didn’t give up on life. He didn’t give up on his family. He didn’t want to give up. I like to think that he was able to see my son, Eli, for the last time before he died. He lived through pain for many years but it didn’t prevent him from sticking it through all the way to the end. … He was a great man and he deserves to be remembered in the best way. He was our heart and soul and is deeply missed by everyone who knew him. I never thought I was capable of feeling the way I do now after losing my father and a million tears will not take this pain away from me, Amber, and the rest of his family. … I want him to be remembered for his love for God, his children, family, and especially his grandchildren who he talked about constantly.
Our thoughts are with the Portwood family in this devastating time.
