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Hilary Swank returns to social media to reveal that her beloved father Stephen Michael has died

Hilary Swank returns to social media to reveal that her beloved father Stephen Michael has died 2

Hilary Swank returns to social media after more than a month to reveal that her beloved father Stephen Michael has died and shares an emotional tribute


Hilary Swank took several weeks away from social media to process the tragic loss of her beloved father Stephen Swank who, she revealed Saturday, died in October 2021.

The 47-year-old star returned to Instagram with her first post since November to pay tribute to her dad, who she called her ‘most favorite persons.’

Stephen was the recipient of a lung transplant seven years ago and the Oscar winner said she had become his ‘sole caretaker’ afterwards, growing incredibly close in the intervening years.

Heartbroken: Hilary Swank returned to social media after more than a month with an emotional post revealing that her beloved father Stephen Michael died back in October

Heartbroken: Hilary Swank returned to social media after more than a month with an emotional post revealing that her beloved father Stephen Michael died back in October

‘This past year was a big one for me and I know for so many of us. I have been off my phone and social media for a couple months due to a tremendous personal loss,’ the Million Dollar Baby star wrote in a caption.

Swank shared a sweet, close-up photo of she and her father together along with the emotional tribute. In the image, father and daughter share the same wide, sparkling smile. 

‘I had a rather unique relationship with him as I was his sole caretaker after a lung transplant seven years ago,’ she continued. 

‘I grew incredibly close to him during this time, deepening our relationship and savoring every moment we had together.’

'He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don't miss him. But in this physical loss, as devastating as it is, I was awakened to the truest sense of living again,' Swank wrote (Pictured together in 2001)

‘He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don’t miss him. But in this physical loss, as devastating as it is, I was awakened to the truest sense of living again,’ Swank wrote (Pictured together in 2001)

‘He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don’t miss him. But in this physical loss, as devastating as it is, I was awakened to the truest sense of living again,’ Swank wrote.

Hilary said she has learned to take a deeper meaning from the loss of her father and it’s allowed her to reconnect ‘back to my truest self.’

‘It helped me forgive, to move past the things that hold me back, in whatever form that takes each day,’ she said. 

Her last social media post prior to taking a much needed break to emotionally heal was on Veteran’s Day in November. 

Stephen Michael Swank: On Veteran's Day, Hilary posted an earlier tribute to her dad who had served 27 years in the United States Airforce but didn't reveal that he had passed away

 Stephen Michael Swank: On Veteran’s Day, Hilary posted an earlier tribute to her dad who had served 27 years in the United States Airforce but didn’t reveal that he had passed away

Swank shared an old black and white image of her dad who had served 27 years in the United States Airforce. 

In recent years, the star has largely stepped away from acting and from Hollywood to care for her father. Stephen underwent a lung transplant in 2014.

In 2020, Hilary told Health that she’d initially planned to only take a one year hiatus but ended up committing her time to her dad’s full time care.

‘It takes a lot of energy, love and edifying yourself on the matter at hand. The ups and downs are so challenging and can be overwhelming,’ she said at the time. 

Her rock: Stephen was the recipient of a lung transplant seven years ago and the Oscar winner said she had become his 'sole caretaker' afterwards, growing incredibly close in the intervening years

Her rock: Stephen was the recipient of a lung transplant seven years ago and the Oscar winner said she had become his ‘sole caretaker’ afterwards, growing incredibly close in the intervening years

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