Bobby Rydell’s death was a ‘real shock to us,’ says mom to teen who shares liver transplant with ‘60s icon

Few will be hard-pressed to know the former 1960s teen heartthrob, known for the songs "Wildwood Days" and "Volare," has shared a deep connection with a young lady in Philadelphia for nearly a decade. Rydell, born Robert Ridarelli, and Assiah Phinisee, share a portion of a liver that each of them received as transplant recipients on July 9, 2012, when Assiah was just four years old.

"It came as a real shock to us when we learned of the news, and it really took a few days for us to kind of process it all." For the last decade, we've gotten so comfortable with life being so normal that when January of this year hit, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my daughter Assiah took it really hard.

Now, approaching her 14th birthday on May 9, Assiah’s mother, Rasheena Phinisee – pronounced "like Tennessee" – said Rydell’s death came as a shock to her and primary liver recipient Assiah, and that her thriving young daughter had to center herself before publicly addressing Rydell’s passing.

"It came as a real shock to us when we learned of the news, and it really took a few days for us to kind of process it all because this year would have been 10 years with their transplant anniversary, which is a big deal," Rasheena told Fox News Digital.