Ryan Reynolds is mourning the loss of his father, James C. Reynolds, who passed away this week at 74 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
The 39-year-old "Deadpool" star took to his Twitter account Wednesday to post a heartwarming photo of his father holding him as a baby.
"RIP Pops. James C. Reynolds. 1941-2015," the actor tweeted, along with a link to Michael J. Fox's website which provides resources and aids to Parkinson's disease research. "If possible, please donate/support:www.michaeljfox.org," the actor added.
James Reynolds died peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 25 in a hospital British Columbia, Canada, according to an online obituary. Reynolds, who went by the nickname Jim, passed away with his loved ones by his side.
"Despite health challenges that could have slowed him down, Jim was a strong and passionate man who lived life to the fullest. His spirit, stories, and memories live on in his sons and grandkids," the obituary read.
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
"[My father] comes from a pretty prideful generation. And he doesn't really talk about it too much. But he's maybe said it once or twice out loud," Ryan Reynolds told NBC's "Today" about his father's struggle with the disease. "I think one of the interesting things about having a family member who's diagnosed with this particular disease, who isn't really engaging in an active fight against it, it kind of galvanized everybody else to seek resources. And for us, in a strange way, it's really kind of brought us together."
The actor, who welcomed his daughter James last year, opened up about his father's Parkinson's in a Huffington Post essay called "Why I'm Running the New York City Marathon."
"I've had a first-hand peek behind the curtain of Parkinson's," he wrote. "I've watched my father - a strong and proud person who successfully raised 4 arguably insane children - slowly, cruelly stripped of his independence. His golden years robbed without explanation. It quite obviously sucks. Witnessing my Dad suffer over the years galvanized my need to step up. ... It's my hope the story of my father combined with my own goal of becoming the first person in history to sob uncontrollably for 26.2 miles straight, may inspire you to give something too."
James Reynolds is survived by his brother and sister, his wife and Ryan's mom Tammy Reynolds, and the couple's four sons and six grandchildren which include Ryan and his wife/actress Blake Lively's 11-month-old daughter James.
