Gary’s Dad, Sal Dell’Abate, Passes Away

Photo: The Howard Stern Show

Sadly, Gary’s dad, Sal Dell’Abate, passed away just as vacation was starting and Howard asked Gary how he was doing now. Gary said that it was weird, but he’s dealing the best he can. Howard felt bad because he couldn’t make it to the wake.

Apparently just as he and Beth were ready to walk out the door, Beth tripped down the stairs and fractured her foot, so Howard had to take her to the hospital. Howard said that Beth was really bummed about it but is doing OK and has a “boot” for her injured foot.Howard said that it got back to him that Gary went to a Counting Crows concert the day his dad died. He also revealed that Gary got the news during the Friday Show and continued doing the show. Gary said he finished the show because there wasn’t much that he could do at that time anyway, so he wrapped some things up because he knew he wasn’t going to be there for a week.

Apparently Ross Zapin dropped the dime on Gary to Howard about the Counting Crows concert, but Howard didn’t think it was a big deal, saying that there wasn’t much Gary could have done at that point. Robin disagreed and thought it was weird that he would have gone to a concert when he got news of his father’s death.

Gary’s mom and dad apparently didn’t get along that well, and got divorced in the late 1990’s. Gary’s mom moved to Florida, and one day his dad decided to move down there too, and moved in with his former wife. They ended up living together for the last eight or nine years of his life. Gary told a funny story about how his parents didn’t get along, starting with how his brother, Steven, passed away 15 years ago. Apparently the day before Gary’s dad died, his mother grabbed his hand and said that it was OK to let go, and to go see Steven. Sal (Dell’Abate) apparently leaned forward and just said “Shut up.”