Kelly Ripa mourns the loss of beloved family dog Chewie

Kelly Ripa continues to grieve the passing of her cherished family pet, Chewie, who died earlier this month.

Ripa and her husband, Mark Consuelos first shared the heartbreaking news on their morning show, Live with Kelly and Mark, last week.

During Wednesday’s episode, Ripa became emotional while discussing an article about evidence of life after death, reflecting on the loss of their longtime companion.

Later that day, the mother of three paid tribute to the beloved Shih Tzu in a touching Instagram post.

In regards to this, she wrote in the caption of a video montage, "I've been avoiding posting this because it somehow makes it real, and I'm not quite ready to let go. It's been extremely painful to lose our beloved Chewie. We ache for her every single day."

According to Daily Mail, Ripa shared that Chewie had been a constant presence in their home for nearly 18 years, watching their children, Michael, Lola, and Joaquin, grow up and leave for college.

In this regard, she wrote, "She waited by the front door to welcome her siblings back home when they returned for visits. She was our stoic, constant companion."

Despite the pain of losing her pet, Ripa expressed gratitude for the time they had together, as per the outlet. 

Furthermore, she added, "We were the luckiest family to have loved and been loved by Chewie," while thanking The North Shore Animal League for bringing Chewie into their lives.

It is worth mentioning that fans and friends flooded her comments with messages of support, offering condolences to the grieving family as they remember their beloved four-legged friend.