Most people know Mark Consuelos from the television screens — first as the suave Mateo Santos on All My Children, then as the menacing Hiram Lodge on Riverdale, and now as one half of one of daytime TV’s favorite couples on Live with Kelly and Mark. But behind that polished, charming actor stood a man whose story is honestly far more extraordinary. His name was Saul Consuelos, and on April 6, 2026, the world finally learned just how much this quietly remarkable man meant to everyone who knew him.
If you’ve been searching for Saul Consuelos, there’s a good chance you already heard the news. Mark Consuelos announced his father’s death live on air — a deeply emotional moment that had viewers around the country reaching for tissues. But Saul’s life deserves so much more than a passing mention. This is the full story.
Who Was Saul Consuelos?
A Quick Look at the Man Behind the Famous Name
Saul Consuelos wasn’t a celebrity. He didn’t star in movies, host a talk show, or walk red carpets. He was a Mexican immigrant who came to the United States as a teenager with nothing but drive and determination — and went on to serve his adopted country for three full decades in the U.S. Navy. He raised three children who became a doctor, a lawyer, and one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors. And he did all of it quietly, without ever asking for recognition.
That’s what made him so special.
Key Facts About Saul Consuelos at a Glance
- Born: October 19, 1938, in Mexico
- Died: March 23, 2026, after a long illness
- Nationality: Mexican-American
- Military Service: U.S. Navy — 30 years, retired at Special Operations Command, Tampa
- Wife: Camilla Consuelos (Italian-born)
- Children: Three — a son (doctor), a daughter (attorney Adriana Consuelos), and actor Mark Consuelos
- Grandchildren: Michael, Lola, and Joaquin Consuelos
- Known For: Being the father of Mark Consuelos and father-in-law of Kelly Ripa
From Mexico to America — Saul Consuelos’ Immigration Story
Growing Up in Mexico with Deep Roots and Strong Faith
Saul was born in Mexico in October 1938, at a time when life there revolved around close family ties, Catholic tradition, and community. He grew up in that world — one where you respected your elders, worked hard without complaint, and kept God at the center of your home.
Those values didn’t leave him when he left Mexico. They traveled with him.
A Teenage Immigrant with Big Dreams
Saul came to the United States in his early teens. Think about that for a second. He left everything he knew — his country, his culture, his comfort zone — and arrived in America as a young person with no guaranteed future. Many immigrants in that position struggle just to survive. Saul didn’t just survive. He thrived.
He found his path through the U.S. Navy. And what he built from there is, by every definition, an American success story.
Mark said it best himself on Live with Kelly and Mark when he announced his father’s passing: “If you’re going to put a face to an immigrant, he would be the prime example of what this country promises people.”
Saul Consuelos’ 30-Year Career in the U.S. Navy
Rising Through the Ranks to Special Operations Command
Saul didn’t just serve in the Navy — he gave it thirty years of his life. That’s not a career. That’s a calling.
He eventually rose to a position at Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida. This is one of the most demanding and prestigious commands in the entire U.S. military infrastructure. Getting there from humble beginnings as a teenage immigrant from Mexico? That takes grit, intelligence, and an extraordinary amount of dedication.
It also took education.
Education, Master’s Degree, and Lifelong Learning
Here’s something that tells you everything about who Saul Consuelos was: he earned his Master’s degree while Mark was still a child. He was raising a family, serving in the Navy, and going to school — all at the same time.
Mark described his father as someone who was “always going to school” and called him “brilliant.” That’s not just a son being sentimental. Saul modeled lifelong learning in a way that left a permanent mark on his children. The message was clear — no matter where you come from, you keep growing, you keep learning, you never stop.
A Veteran Honored by His Family on Veterans Day
Saul’s military service was a point of deep family pride. On Veterans Day 2025, Kelly Ripa shared a photo honoring both her own father (who served in the Army) and Saul, writing that these two men “served in the Army and Navy and grew up to be husbands, fathers, grandfathers, and American patriots.”
That’s a tribute that sums him up perfectly.
The Love Story — Saul Consuelos and Camilla Consuelos
How Two Cultures Created One Beautiful Family
Saul’s wife, Camilla, was born in Italy. The two met at a movie audition — which, when you think about it, is a pretty cinematic origin story for the parents of a Hollywood actor.
Their marriage brought together two entirely different cultures. Mexican traditions and Italian warmth blended into one household where family always came first. That multicultural foundation is something Mark and his siblings grew up surrounded by, and it’s no coincidence that Mark himself was born in Zaragoza, Spain, raised partly in Italy, and grew up in the American Midwest. The Consuelos family has always been a beautiful blend of worlds.
Decades of Marriage Built on Shared Values
What made Saul and Camilla work wasn’t just chemistry — it was shared values. Both believed deeply in education. Both put family above everything else. Both wanted their children to grow up knowing exactly who they were and where they came from.
They’ve been married for decades, navigating military life, raising three very different children, moving between countries and states, and building something lasting together. That kind of partnership doesn’t happen by accident.
After Saul’s death, the Consuelos family rallied around Camilla. Mark shared on air that they were trying to convince his mother to relocate closer to them in New York City. “She’s such a character,” he said with a loving smile through his grief. “She’s very stubborn.” Kelly Ripa immediately suggested a “Cooking with Camilla” segment on Fridays — because sometimes, the best tribute you can give someone is keeping life warm and full of laughter.
Saul Consuelos as a Father — The Lessons That Shaped Three Remarkable Kids
How He Raised a Doctor, a Lawyer, and an Actor
Saul and Camilla raised three children who went in three completely different directions — and all three succeeded. That’s not luck. That’s parenting done right.
Their oldest son followed in Saul’s military footsteps and became a doctor serving in the U.S. military. Their daughter, Adriana Consuelos, became an attorney. And their youngest — Mark — became one of television’s most recognizable faces. Three kids, three different paths, all thriving.
The common thread? Saul’s insistence on education, hard work, and character.
Mark Consuelos on What His Father Really Taught Him
Mark shared a story on Live that captures Saul’s teaching style perfectly. He joked: “If you asked him what time it was, he would tell you how to build a watch.” Lots of lectures, lots of hands-on lessons. If Saul was fixing something around the house, he’d make Mark watch and help, even when Mark didn’t fully understand why.
“Now at the house, I’m able to do at least half of the stuff that he did,” Mark said. “I learned the most by just watching him.”
That’s the kind of fathering that sticks. Not the big speeches — the small moments of doing things together.
Discipline, Education, and Teaching by Doing
Saul wasn’t a hovering parent or a pushy one. He was a presence. He set a standard through how he lived, not just what he said. He went back to school while raising kids. He served his country while building a family. He showed his children what commitment looks like in real time.
You don’t forget a father like that.
Saul Consuelos and Kelly Ripa — A Special Bond
The Father-in-Law Who Showed Up Every Time
Kelly Ripa met her father-in-law when she married Mark in 1996, but their relationship quickly became something beyond the typical in-law dynamic. When Mark was away filming — which happened a lot during his Riverdale years and earlier roles — Saul stepped in. He’d travel with Kelly and the kids to work remotes. He came to school events when Mark couldn’t make it.
He was so present at these events that other parents at school assumed he was Kelly’s husband. She shared the story on air with a laugh: people would see them together at back-to-school nights so often that when Mark finally showed up, someone asked if he was her “new husband.”
That’s not just a funny anecdote. That’s proof of what kind of man Saul was. He showed up. Every time.
“The Greatest Person I’ve Ever Known”
When Mark announced his father’s death on April 6, 2026, Kelly Ripa didn’t hold back. She told Mark — and the millions of viewers watching — that Saul was “the greatest person I’ve ever known.” She said she’d only had 31 years with him as her father-in-law, but that those were “the best 31 years of my life.”
“I can honestly say I will miss him every day for the rest of my life,” she said, her voice cracking.
That tribute, coming from a woman who is known for her warmth and humor but also her honesty, says everything.
Saul Consuelos’ Grandchildren and Family Legacy
Michael, Lola, and Joaquin Consuelos
Saul had three grandchildren through Mark and Kelly: Michael Consuelos (born 1997), Lola Consuelos (born 2001), and Joaquin Consuelos (born 2003). Each of them inherited a piece of Saul’s spirit in their own way.
Michael became an actor — and even played a younger version of his father, Hiram Lodge, on Riverdale. Lola is a musician, a creative soul who’s built her own identity outside her parents’ fame. Joaquin has pursued athletics and academics with the same intensity his grandfather brought to everything he did.
Ripa noted on air that Saul’s passing was “the first loss they’ve ever experienced in their lives.” The grandchildren are feeling this deeply.
The Values That Passed Down Three Generations
Legacy isn’t just about what you leave behind. It’s about what lives on inside the people who loved you. Saul passed down a belief system — work hard, learn constantly, love your family fiercely, and be proud of where you come from — that has now shaped three generations of the Consuelos family.
His grandchildren may have grown up in New York City with famous parents, but the roots Saul planted run all the way back to a small town in Mexico.
Saul Consuelos’ Death — March 23, 2026
Mark Consuelos Announces His Father’s Passing on Live TV
Saul Consuelos passed away on March 23, 2026, after a long battle with illness. He went peacefully. Mark found out during what should have been a two-week break from Live with Kelly and Mark — instead, that break became two weeks of grief.
When the show returned on April 6, 2026, Mark didn’t hide behind a prepared statement. He sat down in front of millions of viewers and spoke from the heart. “My father passed away after a long bout with illness,” he said. “He passed away peacefully. Gosh, such a fascinating man. Such a fascinating man.”
He said it twice. Such a fascinating man. You could hear how much he meant it.
Kelly Ripa’s Emotional Tribute
Kelly Ripa, never one to stay quiet when something matters, added her own tribute immediately. She told Mark that she’d only known Saul for 31 years — but called it the best 31 years of her life. She described him as “symbolic of everything you are,” speaking directly to her husband.
She also pointed out something that only a daughter-in-law who truly loved her father-in-law would say: “He really is so symbolic of everything you are.” It’s both a compliment to Saul and a profound acknowledgment of what he gave Mark.
Mark’s Broadway Play Fallen Angels and Grief in the Spotlight
Here’s where the story gets even more poignant. At the time his father passed, Mark was in rehearsals for his Broadway debut in Fallen Angels at the Roundabout Theatre, which began previews on March 27, 2026 — just four days after Saul died. Mark had to go on. And he did.
“I really feel like that was such a welcome distraction for me,” he said. “I knew I had to keep on going, especially during that time. I know he’s there watching, and he’s able to be part of that.”
Grief and duty, existing side by side. It’s the most human thing in the world. And it’s exactly what Saul Consuelos would have wanted from his son — to keep going, to keep working, to honor the lessons by living them.
Kelly, for her part, ended the segment simply and beautifully: “You’re the strongest person I know. You continually inspire me every day. And all of the good things that I love about you, I loved those same things about your dad. So I just want to say thank you, Dad, for everything you gave to us.”
Why Saul Consuelos Represents the American Dream
We talk about the American Dream a lot, but we don’t always agree on what it looks like. For Saul Consuelos, it looked like this: a teenage boy leaving Mexico with almost nothing, joining the Navy, earning an education, rising to one of the most elite military commands in the country, building a warm multicultural family, raising three successful children, and spending his final years surrounded by people who loved him completely.
He didn’t chase fame. He didn’t seek the spotlight. He built something real and lasting — quietly, steadily, day by day.
Mark said it with pride: “He raised three pretty good kids.” That might be the most beautiful understatement in this entire story.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saul Consuelos
Who is Saul Consuelos? Saul Consuelos is the father of actor and TV host Mark Consuelos and the father-in-law of Kelly Ripa. He was a Mexican-born U.S. Navy veteran who served for 30 years and raised three children — a doctor, a lawyer, and an actor.
When did Saul Consuelos die? Saul Consuelos passed away on March 23, 2026, after a long illness. His son Mark announced the death publicly on Live with Kelly and Mark on April 6, 2026.
How old was Saul Consuelos when he died? Saul was 87 years old at the time of his death, having been born on October 19, 1938.
Was Saul Consuelos in the military? Yes. Saul served in the U.S. Navy for 30 years, eventually reaching a position at Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida — one of the most prestigious postings in the U.S. military.
Who is Camilla Consuelos? Camilla Consuelos is Saul’s wife and the mother of Mark Consuelos. She was born in Italy. The couple met at a movie audition and built a multicultural family together, blending Mexican and Italian heritage.
What did Mark Consuelos say about his father? Mark described his father as “brilliant” and “a fascinating man.” He praised Saul’s immigration journey, his Navy career, and his hands-on parenting style, saying he learned more from watching his father than from any lecture.
Who are Saul Consuelos’ grandchildren? Saul had three grandchildren: Michael Consuelos (actor), Lola Consuelos (musician), and Joaquin Consuelos (student-athlete), all children of Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa.
What did Kelly Ripa say about Saul Consuelos after his death? Kelly Ripa called Saul Consuelos “the greatest person I’ve ever known” and said that her 31 years knowing him as her father-in-law were the best 31 years of her life. She credited him with shaping much of what she loved about her husband, Mark.