Abby Huntsman shares emotional farewell message on 'The View'
After nearly two seasons of co-hosting "The View," Abby Huntsman shared a farewell message on her last day as an official co-host.
Huntsman's words followed a montage of her time on the daytime talk show and a special sendoff from her parents, Jon and Mary Kaye Huntsman.
"This has been a dream come true. This has been an incredible job," Huntsman said. "I do love everyone at this table. You guys see the ups and downs of all of our life."
On Monday, the 33 year-old daughter of the former U.S. ambassador to Russia and former governor of Utah announced she's leaving "The View" to work with her father during his campaign for governor of Utah.
"It's not easy every day to come out here and be so open and honest and talk about the hardest topics of the day," she said in her farewell message on Friday morning. "I have so much respect for everyone at this table and for everyone at this show."
"I am leaving so thankful for all the new friends that I have here, for all the friends I had before and will still have, and for the opportunity, because this place has changed my life for the better," Huntsman added.
Huntsman also shared a special message to her viewers via the show's social media platforms.
"We did it. The final show. So bittersweet," she said in the clip. "Just want to say thank you to all of you for welcoming me into your lives. I will miss it here. You are my family. This was an incredible ride, and I have no doubt I'm going to see you again very soon."
Longtime co-host Joy Behar said of Huntsman on Friday, "From day one, no matter how heated things got on hot topics, she always kept her calm."
"She has a positive spirit, you know. Actually, it was annoying sometimes how positive you were," Behar joked. "She never backed down when she was speaking truth to power. She did incredible interviews with people and gave them tough questions."
On Thursday, Whoopi Goldberg toasted to the new chapter in Huntsman's life.
"It's been an honor and a pleasure sitting next to you," Goldberg said. "We'll keep our eye out on you, baby."
"Thank you for being my guardian angel here," Huntsman responded. "You have been. Thank you, thank you."
Along with spending more time with her family, Huntsman will be the senior adviser to her father's campaign.
"My No. 1 priority has always been my family, and you taught me the first day I got here," Huntsman said during her announcement on Monday. "When you take a step back and you think about life, think about your kids, think about what you want to do every day that just gets you going, and there's no one I believe in more than my own dad right now to run for politics and I get emotional because I do love him so much."
"He believes in me to go help run that," she continued. "I couldn't be more excited to go help someone that I love. It's not often in life that you get these moments to go fight for something that you are so passionate about."
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