Lee “Big Poppa” Najjar, the real estate investor famously known as the mysterious benefactor on The Real Housewives of Atlantahas died at the age of 68.
His death was confirmed on Tuesday by his daughter, Katelin, who shared a touching tribute on her Instagram story with a video of the pair dancing in a car.
While a specific cause of death for the businessman has not yet been released, he is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their four children, Katelin, Jeremy, Jared and Jamen.
Najjar became a central figure in reality television history during the first season of RHO in 2008, although his face was never actually shown on screen at the time.
Kim Zolciak, one of the show’s original breakout stars, famously kept his identity a secret, referring to him only by the nickname “Big Poppa”.
He was well known to viewers as the man who financed Zolciak’s extravagant lifestyle and provided the financial backing for her luxury cars and designer wardrobe as they navigated a complicated romance.
Their relationship was the subject of much debate among the Atlanta housewives, especially because Najjar was still legally married to his wife while he was dating Zolciak, although the reality star maintained that they were estranged.
Before the Season 1 reunion, Zolciak revealed that they had become engaged and described him as a great person who was wonderful to her daughters.
She admitted at the time that she had a crush on him and that he remained an essential part of her daily life even as they struggled to move their relationship forward.
The couple eventually split for good in 2009 after Zolciak referred to him as the love of her life but acknowledged it was time to move on.
She later moved on to marry Kroy Biermann in 2011, a relationship that ended in a high-profile separation in 2023.
Despite the years that have passed since his time in the Bravo spotlight, Najjar remains a legendary figure to longtime fans of the franchise.
His daughter’s tribute, set on the track Dance in the skymarks a quiet end for a man whose presence once loomed large over the world of reality television.
