Luke Russert On Dad Tim’s Passing

Tim Russert’s son, Luke, shared memories of his dad and how the Russert family is coping with their loss, during an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today” show Monday morning.

Following a touching tribute by Tim’s colleagues, which included Tom Brokaw, political pundit Mary Matalin and Maria Shriver on Sunday’s “Meet The Press,” Luke recounted his last moments on the set his father had helmed since 1991.

“I kind of went up there and then the emotions just came over me and I just wanted to touch that chair. And I sort of felt like this is the last time I’ll see ‘Meet the Press’ in the way that I know it,” Luke told Matt. “And I just wanted to grab it all in and hug that chair. I’m going to keep that chair forever. That’s my chair now.”

Tim is survived by his wife Maureen, who Luke said is in deep mourning for her late husband, but has been able to busy herself with funeral arrangements for Tim.

”[She is] taking it tough, it’s definitely taking its toll on her. She grieves like a wife, and I grieve like a son, so it’s different type of grieving, but we’re definitely in the same boat. We miss my father immensely,” Luke said. “These funeral arrangements, I think, and staying busy have kind of provided an outlet for her and I to sort of get our minds off the awful tragedy that happened in the past week.”

Luke said though his father is gone, his memory and spirit will always live on.

“There was always a lot of love from him, and we’d always hug, and he would say the same things he always says you to guys, ‘Go get him, brother!” and put his hand across my shoulder,” Luke said of his father. “There’s not a day that goes by that I did not know my father loved me.”