Hilary Swank and dad Stephen.Photo:Hilary Swank/Instagram

Hilary Swank/Instagram
Hilary Swankis paying tribute to her late dad,Stephen Michael Swank, on the second anniversary of his death.
On Sunday, the two-timeOscarwinner shared a selfie of herself and her dad, taken inside a car, as shenoted in the caption, “It’s been two years since you passed.”
“You brought so much joy to all who were blessed to know you,” wrote Swank, 49. “Your memory still does. 🥰 I love you forever. 💞🤍🙌🏽.”
“❤️🙏🏻,“Katie Couriccommented, whileKevin Nealonsaid, “God bless your pop, Hil. I remember meeting him and how sweet he was. He loved you to pieces.❤️🙏🏼.”
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Swank revealed in an emotional post shared to her Instagram page onNew Year’s Eve2021 that her father had died that October.
Swank continued, noting thatthe “physical loss” of her fatherawakened her “to the truest sense of living again.”
“It helped me better understand the circle of life and where we come from and where we go back to, which has connected me back to my truest self,” the actress added. “It helped me forgive, to move past the things that hold me back, in whatever form that takes each day. As well as being deeply connected to the Ultimate Source and therefore, my Dad, always.”
She concluded, “This last year I hope whatever trials and tribulations you all have had on your life journey bring you closer to your truest essence and help guide you into this New Year with whatever blessings you most need. We are all in this together.”
Caring for her dad post-lung transplant was no simple task. In August 2020, Swank toldHealthmagazine that she became Stephen’s “health advocate” after stepping away from Hollywood in 2014 to help him heal.
Originally, the actressplanned to take a year offfrom her screen career, but she said her hiatus lasted longer than anticipated.
“A lung transplant is the most difficult of all, as it’s an incredibly delicate organ,” Swank said at the time. “One year quickly turned into two and then three. And, thank God, prayers were answered. He is healthy and doing really well five-plus years later.”
“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 added before offering advice to others who have opted to be a health advocate for a loved one: “Make sure that you’re taking time for yourself and that you vocalize what your needs are to the people who are around you so they can help support you.”
source: people.com