Hugh Hefner’s former girlfriend and playboy model Kendra Wilkinson is the latest bunny to pay tribute to the the media media mogul following his death on Wednesday.
‘Hef changed my life,’ Wilkinson said in a statement.
‘He made me the person I am today. I couldn’t be more thankful for our friendship and our time together. I will miss him so much but he will be in my heart forever.’
The 32-year-old joined Pamela Anderson, Kim Kardashian and a host of celebrities and former Playboy models in paying tribute to Hugh Hefner after he died aged 91 on Wednesday evening.
Hefner’s son Cooper announced his father’s death via Twitter Wednesday night.
Hugh Hefner’s former girlfriend and playboy model Kendra Wilkinson is the latest bunny to pay tribute to the the media media mogul following his death on Wednesday. They are pictured together during his 81st birthday in 2007
Wilkinson (left) starred on the reality television show The Girls Next Door alongside Hefner, Holly Madison (right) and Bridget Marquardt (center) from 2005 to 2010. They are all pictured together in Beverly Hills in 2005
Wilkinson, pictured far left, said: ‘He made me the person I am today. I couldn’t be more thankful for our friendship and our time together. I will miss him so much but he will be in my heart forever.’ Pictured left to right are Wilkinson, Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner and Bridget Marquardt at the HBO Golden Globes Awards After-Party in 2005
Kendra Wilkinson, Holly Madisonand Bridget Marquardt are all pictured with Hefner at one of his legendary Playboy mansion pool parties
He said his famous dad had passed away of natural causes at the Playboy Mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of West Los Angeles.
He is survived by his wife, Crystal, and four adult children: Christie, who served as CEO of Playboy Enterprise for more than 20 years, David, Marston, and Cooper, who currently serves as Chief Creative Officer at the company.
Earlier this year Wilkinson posted a sweet note for Hefner’s 91st birthday, writing: ‘Thank you for EVERYTHING. People might not understand you but that’s because they’ve never had the chance to know you like I do. I’ll celebrate you forever!!!’
Wilkinson starred on the reality television show The Girls Next Door alongside Hefner, Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt from 2005 to 2010.
Marquardt took to Twitter to express her grief over the sexual revolutionary’s death, writing: ‘So sad but forever grateful for all the wonderful memories and amazing experiences.’
However, their third co-star Holly Madison has yet to say anything about his passing.
Earlier this year, speaking to E! News, Wilkinson said she thought that Hef looked ‘very healthy,’ and said ‘He’s 91-years-old! He’s gonna live longer than us!’
However, she also said that she worries every day about his health.
‘I’m not gonna lie every day I open up my social media I pray that I don’t see what we think might happen. He honestly is my family,’ she said to E!.
‘The day that comes will be devastating to me and my family.’
Pamela Anderson posted an emotional Instagram farewell to her mentor – sharing a video of her crying as well as a poignant poem
Kim Kardashian also paid tribute to the Playboy founder. The reality star was on the cover of the magazine in 2007
Pamela said in an emotional accompanying poem: ‘You loved my boys. You were always, always there for us. With your love, your crazy wisdom’
The overwhelmed star, who filmed herself crying in bed, added: ‘I will miss your everything. Thank you for making the world a better place’
Immediately following his death Wednesday night Pamela Anderson gave a teary-eyed tribute to the legendary celebrity.
The former pin-up, 50, broke down in tears as she bid farewell to the media mogul in an emotional Instagram video, which she accompanied with a poignant poem.
The mum-of-two, who was often hailed as Hefner’s ‘favorite’ Playmate, dubbed him a ‘gentleman’ who made the world a ‘freer and sexier place’.
She was joined by Kim Kardashian who said she was ‘honored’ to have been part of the Playboy team, while Paris Hilton dubbed the publishing magnate a ‘legend.’
Pamela revealed Hugh was weak in his final months, suffering back pain, using a walking frame and battling complete deaf when she last saw him
The former Playmate shared this sweet throwback snap of Hefner kissing her
The mum-of-two, who was often hailed as Hefner’s ‘favorite’ Playmate, dubbed him a ‘gentleman’ who made the world a ‘freer and sexier place’
She often stripped off for Playboy covers, going topless most recently for this 2016 issue
The pin up has been posing for Playboy for years, pictured here on the May 2004 edition
Pamela, who starred on the Playboy cover three times including her last nude shoot,, wrote in a poem: ‘Mr Hefner, I have so many thoughts, I have no brain right now to edit.
‘I am me because of you. You taught me everything important about freedom and respect.
‘Outside of my family. You were the most important person in my life. You gave me my life. People tell me all the time. That I was your favorite.’
The Baywatch star revealed Hugh was weak in his final months, suffering back pain, using a walking frame and battling complete deaf when she last saw him
The former Playmate went on to write: ‘Everything anyone loves about me is because you understood me. Accepted me and encouraged me to be myself.’ Pictured on an old episode of Girls Next Door
Pamela said of Hugh: ‘You were a gentleman, charming, elegant, chivalrous And so much fun’
Kim Kardashian got in on the action by saying she was honored to have been part of the Playboy world
Hotel heiress Paris Hilton shared this snap of herself in a pink Bunny suit cuddling up to the media mogul in the back of a limousine as she paid tribute to the 91-year-old
She continued: ‘I’m in such deep shock. But you were old, your back hurt you so much. Last time I saw you you were using a walker.
‘You didn’t want me to see. You couldn’t hear. You had a piece of paper in your pocket you showed me – with my name Pamela with a heart around it.’
The former Playmate went on to write: ‘Everything anyone loves about me is because you understood me. Accepted me and encouraged me to be myself.
‘You loved my boys. You were always, always there for us. With your love, your crazy wisdom. I will miss your everything. Thank you for making the world a better place.
Glamour model Katie Price shared a snap of her and Hugh, writing ‘RIP Hugh Hefner’
The mum-of-five, 39, spent plenty of time at the mansion in her youth and was often pictured cosying up the publishing legend
‘A freer and sexier place. You were a gentleman, charming, elegant, chivalrous And so much fun. Goodbye Hef … Your Pamela.’
Pamela – who was especially close to Hugh after shooting to stardom with her first cover in 1989 – also shared an emotional black and white video of herself crying, in which she whispered ‘Goodbye Hef’ – as well as a throwback snap of them together.
Meanwhile, Kim wrote: RIP to the legendary Hugh Hefner! I’m so honored to have been a part of the Playboy team! You will be greatly missed! Love you Hef! Xoxo.’
Paris Hilton shared a pic of herself in a pink Bunny outfit cuddling up to Hef in the back of a car.
The hotel heiress described him as a ‘legend, innovator and one of a kind.’
Sad: Jenny McCarthy posed for Playboy in 1993 and it launched her Hollywood career. She paid tribute to Hugh Hefner on Twitter on Wednesday following news of his death
Thank you for being a revolutionary and changing so many people’s lives, especially mine,’ McCarthy, 44, wrote. ‘I hope I made you proud.’ She’s pictured with Hef in 2003
‘Hef changed my life,’ said Kendra Wilkinson, far right, with her Girls Next Door co-stars Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt with Hefner with whom they lived
Marquardt tweeted a pic of her and Hefner and said: ‘So sad but forever grateful for all the wonderful memories and amazing experiences’
‘We had so many fun and incredible memories together. I will miss him dearly, she wrote.
Joining them in the tributes were Kendra Wilkinson and Jenny McCarthy.
Kendra, 32, who was one of the seven Girls Next Door and lived with Hefner, said the 91-year-old legend ‘changed my life’ and added that he will be in her heart ‘forever,’
McCarthy tweeted a picture of one of her Playboy covers and wrote: ‘RIP #Hef Thank you for being a revolutionary and changing so many people’s lives, especially mine. I hope I made you proud.’
Friends: Nancy Sinatra shared a snap of herself hugging Hefner and called him ‘one of the nicest men I’ve ever known’
The daughter of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra was friends with Playboy founder. They’re pictured at the Playboy mansion in 1995
Jenny’s emotional words echo her gratitude to Hefner for guiding her career. She first posed for Playboy in 1993 and as subsequently named Playmate Of The Year after which she moved to Los Angeles and launched her career.
Meanwhile, Kendra said simply: ‘Hef changed my life.’
‘I couldn’t be more thankful for our friendship and our time together,’ she said in a statement. ‘I will miss him so much but he will be in my heart forever.’
Meanwhile, Nancy Sinatra wrote: ‘One of the nicest men I’ve ever know. Godspeed, Hugh Hefner.’
Donna D’Errico, who like her Baywatch co-star Pamela Anderson got her big break thanks to Hefner, also had kind words and gratitude for the late icon.
‘Hugh Hefner put me in Playboy & ignited my career. I am forever indebted, Hef. You will forever live on as an icon of epic proportions,’ she tweeted.
Donna D’Errico also said she owed her career to the Playboy founder and said she would be forever in his debt
D’Errico, pictured last month in New York, got her big break posing for PLayboy as did her Baywatch co-star Pamela Anderson
Another Baywatch babe and Playboy favorite Carmen Electra recalled ‘the magical world’ Hefner created and said she would ‘always be grateful’ for his kindness to her
The Hills alum Heidi Montag sent love and prayers to Hefner’s widow Crystal
The Go-Go’s singer Belinda Carlisle posed topless for a cover in 2001
Carlisle tweeted that she was ‘lucky to have met’ Hefner and to have worked with him
The Go-Go’s singer Belinda Carlisle posed topless for the cover of Playboy in 2001 and also paid tribute.
‘Such a sweet kind man – so lucky to have met him and work with him,’ the star tweeted after expressing her sadness at hearing of Hefner’s passing.
Actor Rob Lowe reminisced about having several ‘great conversations’ with Hefner and called him ‘an interesting man.’
‘True legend. What an end of an era!’ he said on Twitter.
Bella Thorne, who starred in a Playboy shoot last year aged 19, shared her shock at the news
Actress Busy Philipps revealed that one of her friends was the media mogul’s girlfriend ‘for a while’ – at a time when he also had eight other partners
Rapper The Weeknd kept his tribute short and sweet to the Playboy founder
Actress Kat Dennings revealed Hefner was ‘very nice’ to her mother
Actor Rob Lowe reminisced about having several ‘great conversations’ with Hefner
KISS rocker Gene Simmons called Hefner ‘a great man, entrepreneur and innovator’
White Collar actor Nick Nevern noted that this is probably the only person who won’t be going to a better place after death, suggesting it doesn’t get better than the playboy mansion
Simmons’s wife Shannon Tweed was a Playboy model. She said on social media: ‘RIP my friend. You changed the world’
Icon: The official Playboy account confirmed the sad news
KISS rocker Gene Simmons called the Playboy founder ‘a great man, entrepreneur and innovator’.
His wife Shannon Tweed, who posed for Playboy,posted a photo of Hefner to her Instagram with the message: ‘RIP my friend. You changed the world.’
Wilkinson’s reality show co-star Marquardt tweeted a pic of herself and Hefner and said: ‘So sad but forever grateful for all the wonderful memories and amazing experiences.’
Larry King joined in the chorus of praise reminding people that Hefner was not just a magazine publisher but also an outspoken advocate of free speech and civil rights
King added: ‘He was a true original, and he was my friend’
‘So many memories’: Model Kelly Brook reminisced over her Playboy cover
Paying respects: Tamara Ecclestone also paid tribute to the icon on Instagram
Tribute: Tamara’s husband Jay Rutland simply shared the iconic Playboy logo
RIP: Glamour model Nicola McLean shared a throwback snap of her with Hugh
Singer Charlie Puth declared that Hugh’s ‘legacy and soul’ will never be forgotten
Presenter Ryan Seacrest praised the ‘Hollywood legend’, saying he ‘lived life to the fullest’
Larry King joined in the chorus of praise reminding people that Hefner was not just a magazine publisher but also an outspoken advocate of free speech and civil rights.
‘He was a true original, and he was my friend,’ King said.
Star Wars star Mark Hamill said Hefner defied the stereotype one would have expected for someone who founded an Empire on naked women and called him ‘a thoughtful friend’
Comedian Richard Lewis recalled how Hefner had supported controversial stand up comic Lenny Bruce and defended his right to free speech
In announcing his father’s death, Cooper Hefner said: ‘My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom.’ Hefner is pictured at the Playboy Mansion in 2006
Star Wars star Mark Hamill said Hefner defied the stereotype one would have expected for someone who founded an Empire on naked women and called him ‘a thoughtful friend’
Polish model and reality star Joanna Krupa posted a throwback snap of herself with the Playboy founder and said posing for his magazine had ‘opened some amazing doors’ for her
Former playboy model and notorious porn star Jenna Jameson said his death represents the ‘end of an era’
Courtney Stodden said Hefner had always been ‘sweet’ to her on movie nights at the Mansion
LaToya Jackson, who also posed for Playboy, sent her condolences to Hefner’s family
Rapper Juicy J was a guest at the Playboy Mansion a number of times