Kim Zolciak’s ex-boyfriend Lee ‘Big Poppa’ Najjar dead at 68 as his daughter pays emotional tribute

Kim Zolciak‘s ex-boyfriend Lee Najjar – who was referred to as ‘Big Poppa’ on Bravo’s The Real Housewives Of Atlanta – has died at the age of 68.

The real estate mogul’s daughter Katelin Najjar shared the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday, with TMZ revealing he passed away on Saturday, April 18.

Najjar’s cause of death is currently unknown, but his passing has been confirmed by the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner.

While he never appeared on-camera, Najjar played a huge role in Zolciak’s early RHOA storyline as her alleged ‘sugar daddy.’

Zolciak previously called Najjar the ‘love of [her] life’ despite their romance coming to an end at some point in 2009.

Katelin paid tribute to her late father via Instagram Story, writing: ‘I love you’ over black and white footage of herself and her father hanging out.

In a follow-up post, she shared a birthday card her father had penned for her that read: ‘You will always have my whole heart. I am so proud of you and your accomplishments and always love you.’

Katelin captioned the photo, ‘I loved when he wrote me cards, he knew it meant everything to me,’

A close friend of Katelin’s, who referred to the Najjars as their ‘second family,’ spoke of Katelin’s ‘incredibly close’ bond with her father in a separate Instagram Story post, which Katelin re-posted for her followers to see.

They also provided a rare glimpse into Lee’s life, which he lived outside of the spotlight unlike his reality TV star ex-girlfriend Zolciak.

‘It’s so hard to imagine life without Lee, but who he was and what he meant to those who knew and loved him will never leave us. He had such a profound impact on my life, and I feel so fortunate to have shared so many unforgettable moments and life experiences with him and because of him,’ the tribute read.

The friend described Najjar as ‘a smart businessman’ who was also ‘incredibly witty’ and ‘genuinely funny.’

‘I’m going to miss his one-liners and his sense of humor so much.’

Zolciak previously called Najjar the ‘love of [her] life’ despite their romance coming to an end in 2009; Zolciak seen in 2020

Najjar’s cause of death is currently unknown, but his passing has been confirmed by the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner; seen with wife Kimberly Najjar in 2010

Of his relationship with Katelin, the friend wrote, ‘@Katelin-Najjar and Lee were incredibly close and shared a special bond. He would do anything to make her happy, including putting up with our shenanigans day in and day out for decades.’ 

He is survived by his wife Kimberly Najjar and their two adult children: daughter Katelin and son Jeremy.

Najjar built his reported $50 million fortune as a successful real estate investor in Atlanta, Georgia.

He famously lived in a massive $25 million mega-mansion in Northern Atlanta’s affluent Buckhead neighborhood, which was featured on MTV Teen Cribs.

The 25,000 square-foot home was sold in 2023 for a reported $8.5 million, according to Buckhead.com.

Najjar became famous among Bravo viewers as ‘Big Poppa’ back in 2008 as his romance with Zolciak served as a major storyline in seasons one and two.

Najjar appeared to be bankrolling Zolciak’s costly Atlanta lifestyle, which included providing for her two daughters, as well as her budding music career.

The real estate mogul’s daughter Katelin Najjar shared the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday

In a follow-up IG Story post, Katelin shared a birthday card her father had penned for her

Najjar built his reported $50 million fortune as a successful real estate investor in Atlanta, Georgia; seen with Dallas Austin in 2009

Adding to the drama, Najjar was also reportedly still married but separated while dating Zolciak.

Zolciak ultimately split from Najjar in late 2009 after he gave her a large engagement ring, when she reportedly discovered he was not divorced. 

‘I’m not engaged anymore,’ she confirmed to Us Weekly that October.

‘Big Papa and I ended it. At the end of the day, he will always be the love of my life, but it’s time for me to move on.’

The following year, Zolciak took to social media to shutdown rumors that her relationship with Najjar was considered ‘cheating.’

‘They insisted that I was cheating because Big Poppa was legally married. NO! The way I see it, if you are separated and live on opposite sides of the country, then there is NO relationship,’ she wrote in a blog post for Bravo titled Poppa Problems back in November 2010.

She added, ‘Also Poppa and I lived together for quite some time so … THANK YOU!’

After ending her romance with Najjar, Zolciak began dating then-Atlanta Falcons football player Kroy Biermann.

The couple married in a $1 million ceremony in 2011.

Najjar became famous among Bravo viewers as ‘Big Poppa’ back in 2008 as his romance with Zolciak served as a major storyline in seasons one and two; Zolciak seen in 2025

Following her split from Najjar, Zolciak went on to meet and marry football player Kroy Biermann. The pair split in 2023 and are currently in the midst of a bitter divorce battle; seen in 2022

Biermann legally adopted Zolciak’s two daughters from a previous relationship. 

The couple also welcomed four children together – KJ, 14, Kash, 13, and twins Kaia and Kane, 12 – during their over decade-long marriage.

However, their family life, which was documented on the Bravo spin-off Don’t Be Tardy, took a sad turn when Zolciak and Biermann entered into a nasty split in 2023.

The exes are still in the midst of their divorce battle, which has included fights over custody of their four kids.