Tragic Loss: Kim Zolciak’s Former Flame Big Poppa Passes Away at 68

The news of Najjar’s passing was shared by his daughter, Katelin Najjar, through an Instagram post on Tuesday. According to reports from TMZ, he died on Saturday, April 18. While the exact cause of death has not been disclosed, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner has confirmed his passing.

Though Najjar never appeared directly on the reality show, he was a significant figure in Zolciak’s storyline, often referred to as her ‘sugar daddy.’ His off-screen presence contributed to the drama and intrigue surrounding the early seasons of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

Najjar’s cause of death is currently unknown, but his passing has been confirmed by the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner.

While he never appeared on-camera, Najjar played a huge role in Zolciak’s early RHOA storyline as her alleged ‘sugar daddy.’

Zolciak previously called Najjar the ‘love of [her] life’ despite their romance coming to an end at some point in 2009.

Katelin paid tribute to her late father via Instagram Story, writing: ‘I love you’ over black and white footage of herself and her father hanging out.

Kim Zolciak’s ex-boyfriend Lee Najjar – who was referred to as ‘Big Poppa’ on Bravo’s The Real Housewives Of Atlanta – has died at the age of 68; Najjar seen in 2009

Zolciak previously called Najjar the ‘love of [her] life’ despite their romance coming to an end in 2009; Zolciak seen in 2020

In a follow-up post, she shared a photo of a birthday card her father had penned for her. 

‘I loved when he wrote me cards, he knew it meant everything to me,’ she wrote.

A close friend of Katelin’s, who referred to the Najjar’s as their ‘second family,’ spoke of Katelin’s ‘incredibly close’ bond with her father in a separate Instagram Story post, which Katelin re-posted for her followers to see.

They also provided a rare glimpse into Lee’s life, which he lived outside of the spotlight unlike his reality TV star ex-girlfriend Zolciak.

‘It’s so hard to imagine life without Lee, but who he was and what he meant to those who knew and loved him will never leave us. He had such a profound impact on my life, and I feel so fortunate to have shared so many unforgettable moments and life experiences with him and because of him,’ the tribute read.

‘@Katelin-Najjar and Lee were incredibly close and shared a special bond. He would do anything to make her happy, including putting up with our shenanigans day in and day out for decades.’