After the passing of his son James, who battled cancer for almost 1 year, Robert Redford is looking for the solace of his family.
Reports indicate that James, a filmmaker who was 58 years old, died suddenly on Friday due to bile-duct cancer that developed in his liver.
In an interview with PEOPLE, a representative for Robert Redford shared the following information about the actor: “is mourning with his family during this difficult time and asks for privacy.”
Robert Redford’s Son James Redford, Filmmaker and Activist, Dies at 58 After Cancer Battle https://t.co/HhFBwFCbdZ
— People (@people) October 19, 2020
The representative went on: “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’s cancer was detected last November as he was waiting for a liver transplant, which was necessary because his liver condition returned two years ago, according to his wife, Kyle, who spoke to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Kyle, in a tweet, said: “Jamie died today. He lived a beautiful, impactful life & was loved by many. He will be deeply missed. 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 2yrs.”
It is with profound sadness that we grieve the loss of James Redford, our Co-Founder, our inspiration and our friend.
— The Redford Center (@redfordcenter) October 19, 2020
With Jamie came love and contagious joy. He approached everything he did with kindness and warmth, and an openness that spread itself easily among others. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/N3hbOh0ELr
According to reports, James, commonly known as Jamie, had been dealing with various health issues ever since he was a child. According to the information on his IMDb profile, he was given a diagnosis of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, which is an extremely uncommon autoimmune disease that affects the liver.
After undergoing two liver transplants in 1993, he went on to establish the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, a non-profit organization with the mission of raising awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
The anguish of losing a child is indescribable, and it is a suffering that no parent should ever have to go through. During this trying time, my thoughts and prayers are with Robert Redford and the rest of James’s family. My heart goes out to you all.
Rest in peace, James!!!
Robert Redford’s son died from disease that causes ‘pale poo’ and ‘dark pee’
The Daily Express reported on Aug 12, 2022:
Although the majority of reports stated that the star passed away from liver cancer, others state that it was cancer of the bile duct that affected James. At the time, The Salt Lake Tribune reported: “His past liver disease had returned two years ago, and the cancer was discovered in his bile duct last November as he was awaiting a liver transplant.”
However, as the bile ducts are a series of small tubes that go from the liver to the small intestine, it is not mistaken to refer to the condition as liver cancer as the disease still affects the organ.
The NHS explains that bile duct cancer is also referred to as cholangiocarcinoma. With the primary function of the bile ducts being to move bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine to help the body digest fat from foods eaten, the severity of the cancer in this area depends on where it is in the bile ducts, how big it is, if it has spread and the general health of the individual.
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