The Redford family mourns the loss of James Redford, the beloved son of actor Robert Redford, who died of cancer.
Kyle said her husband’s liver disease had returned two years ago, and the cancer was discovered in November last, and he had been waiting to get a liver transplant done.
Kyle posted a heart-touching message and shared a few photos of James, herself, and their family on Twitter.
Jamie died today. We’re heartbroken. 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. pic.twitter.com/ynDN2jSZ04
— kyle redford (@kyleredford) October 16, 2020
James Redford Institute
It is seen that the filmmaker had struggled with health problems since his childhood. He was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a rare autoimmune disease affecting the liver.
According to People magazine, it is seen that he did previously underwent two liver transplants in 1993.
Though James had battled with liver disease for more than 30 years, he did go on with his life.
He married his wife Kyle, who worked as eighth-grade history in Marin County. The couple had two children Lena and Dylan, together.
https://www.facebook.com/theredfordcenter/photos/a.538796102832612/3404071352971725/?type=3
James and his father co-founded the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, a non-profit created to educate the public about organ and tissue donation after receiving the two liver transplants in 1993.
The Kindness of Strangers
James produced the documentary The Kindness of Strangers, the first of many more film projects he worked on through this organization.
He expressed gratitude for a liver transplant that saved his life through this HBO documentary in 1999. He produced the film intending to raise its $600,000 budget from various organizations that including his parents.
James expressed that this experience made him realize how fortunate he was. Thinking of the fact that every day 10-12 people die waiting to be transplanted.
He also added that it significantly impacted him and made him committed to helping organ donation. James’ movies focused on climatic change and social causes close to his and his father’s heart.
The co-founded institution, The Redford Center, describes itself as an organization that is “harnessing the power of film, video, and new media to engage people through inspiring stories that galvanize environmental action.”
The institute produced many films such as Flow, focusing on the educational reasons for a teen audience, and From One to Another that focused on the experience of the people at the Nebraska Health System University Hospital on those who have received organ transplants and other people awaiting them.
Image courtesy of Nicki Swift/YouTube Screenshot