Kaley Cuoco paid emotional tribute to her late "8 Simple Rules" co-star John Ritter at the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health's Evening From the Heart gala in Los Angeles. Cuoco, who played Ritter's daughter on the sitcom, was on set in 2003 when he died suddenly of a thoracic aortic dissection at age 54, and she described his death as "one of the worst days of my life." The tribute matters because it keeps public attention on aortic health awareness, a cause the foundation has championed since Ritter's death, whilst also offering a rare, candid glimpse into the lasting impact he had on a young co-star's life and career.

Cuoco, currently pregnant with her second child with fiancé Tom Pelphrey, fondly recalled meeting Ritter at 16 during a table read, including his fatherly gesture of covering her up with his jacket. The gala, hosted by Ritter's widow Amy Yasbeck and son Tyson Ritter, also featured a reunion of his "Wings" co-stars and a surprise appearance by "Three's Company" co-star Joyce DeWitt, who announced a fundraising table-read tour. According to the foundation, around 20,000 people suffer aortic dissections annually in the US, with up to half dying, though survival rates rise to 80% with prompt treatment.