Sunny Hostin tearfully reveals aunt just died of heart attack during discussion about heart health on The View

The panel members were discussing American Heart Month

Sunny Hostin tearfully revealed that her aunt died yesterday from a heart attack during Wednesday’s (February 5) episode of The View, immediately following a discussion of American Heart Month with American Heart Association national volunteer Star Jones.

Her fellow panelists appeared to be surprised by the news as Hostin announced with wet eyes: “I’m sorry, my aunt died yesterday of a heart attack.”

She then asked co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin: “So can you take my question?”

Jones reacted empathetically, reaching out to Hostin and saying: “I did not know that.”

The panel quickly moved on to discuss Jones’s upcoming role as the host of Divorce Court.

After speaking about the show, Jones turned back to Hostin and said: “What happened when you shared with me that you lost somebody dear to you... My job is to be empathetic to the people at Divorce Court, the litigants that come before me, to let them know they’re not alone in their relationship drama or trauma, and that somebody is there for you to help you get through it.

Sunny Hostin wipes away a tear while discussing the death of her aunt on ‘The View’ (The View/ABC)

“And so this may be the silliest transition I’ve ever made on television, but understand that your aunt is at home with her God, and we are here to fulfill her legacy.”

As Hostin wiped away tears and apologized, Jones added: “Do not worry about stuff like that. We’re your girls. You’re supposed to be vulnerable with your girls.”

Hostin is a lawyer and author who has been a co-host of The View since 2016. Last October she made headlines when she delivered a passionate response to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s racist comments about Puerto Rico at Donald Trump’s recent Madison Square Garden rally.

Speaking on The View on October 28, Hostin directly addressed the camera and said: “This Puerto Rican has something to say about the island I love, where my family is from.

“Puerto Rico is trash? We are Americans, Donald Trump. Americans. We voluntarily serve disproportionately high in the military, while you have bone spurs.

“And we vote. Pennsylvania is home to almost half a million Puerto Ricans. North Carolina, 115,000. Georgia, 100,000. Arizona, 64,000. Wisconsin, 61,000. Michigan, 43,000. Nevada, 27,000. We vote, Donald Trump. Trash?

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“And by the way, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny, Luis Fonsi and Marc Anthony have over 345 million followers on Instagram. I think you only have 26 million, since you care so much about size.

“And we don’t like what was said about Ruerto Rico. And we know how to take the trash out, Donald Trump. Trash that has been collecting since 2016, and that’s you, Donald Trump. And finally, my fellow Puerto Ricans, trash collection day is November 5, 2024. Don’t forget it!”