Robert Redford is mourning the tragic loss of his son James, who passed away on Friday.
James, 58, died after a battle with bile-duct cancer in his liver. Redford’s rep Cindi Berger told People that the actor is “mourning with his family during this difficult time and asks for privacy.”
Berger added, “The grief is immeasurable with the loss of a child. Jamie was a loving son, husband and father. His legacy lives on through his children, art, filmmaking and devoted passion to conservation and the environment.”
James was the third child of Redford and ex-wife Lola Van Wagenen.
James’ wife Kyle shared the heartbreaking news on Friday, writing on Twitter, “James died today. We’re heartbroken. He lived a beautiful, impactful life & was loved by many.”
She added, “As his wife of 32 yrs, I’m most grateful for the two spectacular children we raised together. I don’t know what we would’ve done w/o them over the past 2 yrs.”
According to IMDB, when James was working on his master’s degree, he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease affecting the liver called primary sclerosing cholangitis. He went on to have two liver transplants in 1993.
Kyle told the Salt Lake Tribune that her husband’s liver disease returned two years ago and that he was awaiting another transplant when doctors discovered the cancer last November.
His health issues over the years inspired him to create the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness.
He was also a documentary filmmaker who co-founded The Redford Center with his father. The nonprofit provides grants to film projects about the environment.
Some of his documentaries included “The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia” and “The Toxic Hot Seat.” He was currently working on “Where the Past Begins: The Life and Work of Amy Tan.”