Legendary actor Robert Redford has died at the age of 89. He was renowned for his roles in classic films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and All The President’s Men (1976). It was confirmed that Robert died this morning (Tuesday, September 16) in his home in Utah. In addition to his glittering acting career, Robert was an award-winning director and the founder of the lauded Sundance Film Festival. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award and the prestigious Cecil B DeMille lifetime achievement honour in 1994 at the Golden Globes. But away from the cameras, Robert Redford endured his fair share of personal tragedy and lasting heartache.
Five years ago, Robert tragically lost his son James Redford, an activist and filmmaker, to liver cancer. Cindi Berger, Redford’s publicist, said at the time: “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.” The statement added: “Robert Redford is mourning with his family during this difficult time and asks for privacy.”
The Salt Lake Tribune reported at the time that Jamie’s cancer was diagnosed in 2019, while he was waiting for another liver transplant. Jamie also sadly suffered from primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is a condition that affects a person’s liver and bile ducts.
However, this heartbreaking loss was not the first time that Robert lost a child. In 1959, Redford and his then-wife, Lola Van Wagenen, became proud parents to a baby boy they named Scott Anthony Redford.
But then tragedy struck two and a half months later. On November 19, 1959, Robert and Lola’s baby Scott died from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
The loss had a lasting impact on the couple, with Robert only opening up about the tragedy in 2017. He told Esquire in an interview: “I was only 21; my wife was 20. We were just starting our lives; I was just starting my career in New York.
“Of course, it was traumatic, and how that plays out over time, I don’t know. We had to deal with it. You have to move on. And we had other children who came. But something like that doesn’t get completely dismissed. It probably shows up in various small ways you’re not even aware of.”
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
