Kris Jenner is leaning on old friends this week after losing her mother, Mary Jo "MJ" Shannon, who passed away on Thursday, July 16, at the age of 91. Among those reaching out publicly is Ellen DeGeneres, who shared a tribute to Shannon and offered comfort to the entire Kardashian-Jenner family.
A Public Tribute From an Old Friend
One day after Jenner announced her mother's death on Instagram, DeGeneres posted her own message alongside a photograph of Jenner and Shannon together. In the caption, she extended sympathy on behalf of herself and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, acknowledging the bond Jenner shared with her mother and the impact Shannon had on the wider family. "I can't imagine the grief that you're feeling right now," DeGeneres wrote, tagging Jenner directly in a post viewable at this Instagram post.
Kardashian Sisters Respond
The tribute quickly drew replies from Jenner's daughters. Khloe Kardashian thanked DeGeneres in the comments, writing, "You are the sweetest!!! You're such a great friend to my mommy." Kourtney Kardashian also responded with a short, warm comment, calling the gesture "so sweet."
Jenner's Emotional Announcement
Jenner had broken the news of her mother's passing a day earlier, describing the loss in deeply personal terms. "There were no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye," she wrote, describing Shannon as the "heart of our family."
In her post, Jenner credited her mother with instilling the values that have guided her and her children throughout their lives, saying Shannon taught her to love family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people she loves and to never take a single shared moment for granted. She said her mother had shown the family that love is unconditional and that joy can be found in life's smallest moments, while also crediting Shannon with teaching her resilience and faith. Jenner expressed gratitude for her mother's sacrifices, her wisdom, their conversations, and even her smile and laughter, saying those memories would stay with her forever.
"Her Love Will Live On"
Jenner wrote that her family's hearts were broken but that they found comfort in knowing love like her mother's never truly disappears. She said Shannon's influence would continue through the family's traditions, through every moment they spend together, and through every life her mother touched during her 91 years. Looking toward the future, Jenner said she now sees pieces of her mother in her own children and grandchildren, adding that there isn't a part of her that hasn't been shaped by Shannon, and that anything she has done right in life came from trying to live in a way that would make her mother proud.
She closed her tribute by thanking her mother for every memory, moment and blessing, saying she would thank God every day for making Shannon her mother, and describing her heart as broken into a million pieces even as she expressed gratitude for the childhood and life her mother gave her.
