Kathie Lee Gifford returned to work on the “Today” show Monday morning for the first time since her husband Frank Gifford’s death.

The host began the show with a touching tribute.

“This is a man who was at complete peace in his life,” she said. “He might’ve been the happiest most contented person in the world at this point in his life.”

“He would want you all to know that when he was a little boy they had nothing, but they had their faith,” she continued. “Every time they moved to a new town, his mother and father would take him and his siblings, they would go to church every week as a family, and that kept them as a family through the darkest, darkest times.”

Gifford thanked all her friends and fans for supporting her through this difficult time, calling the outpouring of love “extraordinary.”

“It’s a heck of a way to find out how loved you are. Believe me, my family and I got great strength and comfort from it,” she said.

Frank died of natural causes at the age of 84 on Aug. 9. He was a former New York Giants running back who became a popular sports commentator.

You can watch Kathie Lee’s full tribute to her husband in the video above.

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