Rosanna Pansino Fulfills Father’s Dying Wish in Unique Tribute

Rosanna Pansino shared a deeply personal and unique tribute to her late father, Papa Pizza, on the first episode of her new podcast, Rodiculous. Her father, who passed away from leukemia five years ago, left behind an unconventional dying wish: to have his ashes mixed with soil to grow a marijuana plant and for his family to smoke it.

Initially hesitant, Pansino’s family ultimately decided the time was right to fulfill his request. “My mom thought it was a little hippie and worried people might judge us,” Pansino explained. “But as time went on, we knew it was the right way to honor him.”

The podcast episode featured footage of Pansino and her mother planting the marijuana plant, followed by an emotional moment where Pansino smoked it on camera while her mother and sister joined off-screen. Reflecting on her grief, Pansino said, “It feels like grief is permanently attached to me. Losing my dad, who was also one of my best friends, was just different.”

Pansino also reminisced about her father’s personality, calling him “a Willie Nelson type” and sharing memories of their close bond, including smoking a cigar together on her 18th birthday. She credited him for teaching her resilience, respect for life, and how to make a difference despite being small.