On Oct. 28, actor Ryan Reynolds announced via Twitter that his father, who had been battling with Parkinson's disease, had passed away.
Last November 2014, the 39-year-old "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" star revealed that his father had been struggling with the illness for 20 years.
"RIP Pops. James C. Reynolds. 1941-2015," he tweeted, along with a photo of his late father.
The tweet included a link to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, an institution dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease.
Reynolds shared the link, indicating, "If possible, please donate/support."
RIP Pops. James C. Reynolds. 1941-2015 If possible, please donate/support: https://t.co/exJYbchCmq pic.twitter.com/8hAfxVbcU1
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) October 28, 2015
Launched in 2000, the Michael J. Foundation uses aggressively funded research agenda to ensure the development of improved therapies for people living with Parkinson's disease.
The organization's values are centered on being patient-focused when it comes to accelerating breakthrough and obsessively efficient in terms of improved therapy.
"We won't stop until a cure is found. We take pride in all our accomplishments so far. But ultimately we have only one definition of success: Scientific solutions that produce tangible improvements in patients' lives," reads the organization's website.
The Michael J. Foundation's model on how to allocate their donor-raised dollars is determined by external scientific advisors and boards. Since its launching, 450 million dollars has been spent by the Michael J. Fox Foundation in trying to speed a cure for Parkinson's disease.
Known as Jim, Reynold's father had difficulty coming to terms with his illness.
"He doesn't really talk about it too much ... he's maybe said it once or twice out loud," Reynolds said in an interview.
Reynolds shared that his dad, a former cop and boxer, was diagnosed in 1995. Since then, the family has found reason to unite and remain strong through the ordeal.
"And for us, it's in a strange way, it's really kind of brought us together," he said.
Reynolds and his wife, "Gossip Girl" actress Blake Lively married in 2012. Earlier this year, they had their first child, James, named after Reynolds' late father.
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Photo : Ronald Woan | Flickr
