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Kathie Lee Gifford returned to "Today" show after taking a brief break to privately mourn the loss of her husband Frank Gifford. She broke down in tears as she remembered her late husband and thanked friends and fans for their outpouring support.

"I wanna thank everybody for your love and your texts and your tweets and just the outpouring has been extraordinary. It's a heck of a way to find out how loved you are. Believe me, my family and I got strength and comfort for it," Kathie said.

"We laughed up to the very end," the anchor said of her final days with Frank. "I just want everyone to know that this was a man who was at complete peace in his life. He might have been the happiest, most content person in his life at this point."

"I'm grateful the lord took him that way because the only think Frank was ever afraid of in his entire life was being a burden to those he loved," she added. "He died in complete peace. He knew every sin he ever committed had been forgiven."

Kathie couldn't contain her emotion when a young singer, 5-year-old Heavenly Joy who recently appeared on "America's Got Talent", showed up and brought her a birthday cake. Kathie turned 62 on August 16, the same day as her husband would have turned 85.

On Twitter, co-anchor Hoda Kotb paid tribute to the couple, "2 amazing people were born today xo all my love." Kris Jenner also wrote on Instagram, "Happy Birthday to my beautiful friend Kathie Lee. I wish you peace and understanding. I know it's Franks birthday today too. I wish I was there with you today. Big hug my angel."

Frank Gifford was a former football player who later became a TV sports commentator. He and his wife Kathie are the godparents of Kris and Caitlyn Jenner's daughters Kendall Jenner, 19, and Kylie Jenner, 18. He died from natural causes at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut on August 9.