Mark Consuelos’ father, Saul Consuelos, has died.

The Live with Kelly and Mark co-host revealed the sad news on the Monday, April 6, during an episode of the syndicated talk show, explaining that Saul “passed away peacefully” on March 23 following a long illness.

His wife and co-host, Kelly Ripa, remembered her father-in-law as “the greatest person I’ve ever known,” getting emotional during her remarks. “I can honestly say I will miss him every day for the rest of my life, as I know you will, as our children will,” she said. “He really is so symbolic of everything you are.”

The couple’s three children — Michael Consuelos, 28, Lola Consuelos, 24, and Joaquin Consuelos, 23 — are taking the loss especially hard, Ripa added. “This is the first loss they’ve ever experienced in their lives,” she said. “And I said, ‘By the time I was 8, I had no grandparents. You got to grow up [with grandparents]. You got to have deep, meaningful conversations [with them].’ “

Mark, 55, went on to reflect on the lessons he learned from his father, recalling his hands-on approach to teaching. “It’s funny, I used to make a joke about my dad — if you asked him what time it was, he would tell you how to build a watch,” he said.

“There were a lot of lectures, a lot of lectures and I learned so much. If he was fixing something in the house, he’d make me watch and do it. And I didn’t know at the time why he was doing that. But now at the house, I’m able to do at least half of the stuff that he did. I learned the most by just watching him,” the TV star continued.

The Riverdale actor also discussed his father’s journey to the United States and his decades of service. “He came here from Mexico in his early teens, he immigrated here from Mexico. He served his country for 30 years. Ended up at Special Operations Command in Tampa. This young kid from Mexico just got his education from the navy. Was always going to school. Was brilliant. Got his Masters while I was a kid,” he shared.

“He loved his country so much,” Mark added. “If you’re going to put a face to an immigrant, he would be the prime example of what this country promises people.”

Ripa, 55, called her husband and his two siblings their father’s “living legacy.”

She shared that Saul was a constant presence in their family life, often stepping in to help while Consuelos was working. “A lot of times you’d be away working and we would take the show on the road and your dad would come on remotes to take care of the kids so I could go to work,” she explained.

Saul would even come to school events while Mark was filming out of the country. It happen so often that people often mistook him for her husband. “He was very involved,” Ripa said, recalling: “I remember one year, randomly, [Mark] showed up and they were like, ‘Is this your new husband? Because he resembles your old husband.’ And I was like, ‘No this is my husband, that was my father-in-law.’ But everybody assumed for a long time because my father-in-law was my husband. Because in New York, it’s not unusual. It’s pretty common. He was the average age range of all the dads.”

Mark shared that he was able to say goodbye to his father while in rehearsals for his Broadway play, Fallen Angels, calling the production a “welcomed distraction” during a difficult time. “I knew I had to keep on going,” he said. “I’ve had such a good time doing [the play]. And I know he’s there watching and he’s able to be part of that.”

“You’re the strongest person I know. You continually inspire me every day,” Ripa told her husband. “All of the good things that I love about you, I loved those same things about your dad. So I just want to say thank you, dad, for everything you gave to us. Everything.”

When reached by PEOPLE to confirm Saul’s age, a rep for Mark said, “Out of respect for Mark’s dad, who was a private person, we’d prefer to just keep coverage to the remarks Mark shared during host chat.”

The Consuelos family is now focused on supporting Mark’s mother, Camilla Consuelos. “We gotta take care of mom. We’re trying to convince my mom to move to New York,” Mark said. “She’s such a character, she’s stubborn. What do you think, a cooking segment here on Fridays with Camilla?”

“Yeah! Cooking with Camilla! Put her to work!” Ripa teased. “Enough of this life of leisure!”