Pawn Stars Patriarch Rick Harrison, “The Old Man,” Dead at 77

“Pawn Stars” patriarch Richard Harrison, known by family, friends and fans as “The Old Man,” died at 77 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was the eldest member of the reality TV star family, which owns and operates Gold & Silver Pawn in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Richard Benjamin ‘The Old Man’ Harrison passed away this morning surrounded by those he loved,” his son Rick said on Instagram. “He will be tremendously missed by our family, the team at Gold & Silver Pawn and his many fans the world over.”

A veteran of the U.S. Navy, “The Old Man” put up $10,000 to open the Gold & Silver Pawn store with is son in 1988. He initially lost a million dollars in the real estate market before moving to Las Vegas. It has since grown into a multi-million dollar company and hit reality show.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Richard ‘The Old Man’ Harrison, a beloved member of the HISTORY and @pawnstars family,” the History Channel tweeted. “He will be greatly missed for his wisdom and candor. Our thoughts are with the Harrison family during this difficult time.”

Corey, The Old Man’s grandson and Pawn Stars employee, reflected on his relationship with his grandfather.

“I was lucky enough to spend 15 years of my life working with the old man,” he said. “He wasn’t just a grandfather, he was truly a best friend as well. I’m truly blessed to have had him as a mentor.”

The hit History Channel series “Pawn Stars” premiered in 2009 and has been on the air for 15 seasons.

“He was my hero and I was fortunate to get a very cool ‘Old Man’ as my dad. That I got to share him with so many others and they got to see what a great family man he was is something I am grateful to have experienced with him,” his son Rick added. “He lived a very full life and through the History television show ‘Pawn Stars’ touched the lives of people all over teaching them the value of loving your family, hard work and humor.”

“We appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers and ask that we are provided some privacy at this time.”