Kim Kardashian’s Illness Triggers Painful Memories of Her Father’s Death

Kim Kardashian has been diagnosed with a condition that painfully reminded her of the illness that claimed the life of her father, Robert Kardashian, at the age of 59.

A new trailer for Season 8 of The Kardashians has revealed that Kim was hospitalized with esophagitis, an inflammation or irritation of the lining of the esophagus.

Her father, renowned attorney Robert Kardashian, died of esophageal cancer in 2003.

In the trailer, Kim tells her makeup team: “I have esophagitis.” Viewers are then shown footage of the reality star lying in a hospital bed, looking exhausted as medical staff attend to her.

One of Kim’s friends asks whether it is the same condition that her father died from. Kim’s mother, Kris Jenner, struggles to hold back her emotions. “I can’t… It makes me want to cry,” she admits in the teaser.

Kris was married to Robert for 13 years. The couple had four children together — Kim, Kourtney, Khloé and Robert Jr. They divorced in 1991.

In a 2023 interview with GQ, Kim recalled one of her final conversations with her father before his death. According to Kim, Robert told her: “I know you’re going to be okay. It’s like I can see into the future. I know you’re going to be okay, but take care of your brothers and sisters. Just look after them for me.”

Last year, on the 22nd anniversary of her father’s death, Kim paid tribute to him and thanked him for “always protecting the family from heaven.”

“I can’t believe I was only 22 when you left, and today marks 22 years since you went to heaven,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories. “I’ve known you for as long as I’ve known you not to be here. I hope you’re so proud of all of us. We love you, Dad, and we miss you so much,” Kim added.