NEWSVal Kilmer's Family Admits They Are 'So Proud of Him' in First Statement Since Actor's Tragic Death at 65
Val Kilmer died at age 65 on Tuesday, April 1.
Val Kilmer's family has broken their silence in the days after the late actor's sad death at age 65.
The Top Gun star's loved ones said they'll be mourning the loss of Kilmer away from the public eye after his daughter, Mercedes, 33, confirmed he had succumbed to pneumonia following a yearslong throat cancer battle.
Val Kilmer shared two kids, Mercedes, 33, and Jack, 29, with his ex-wife, Joanne Whalley.
"Thank you for honoring our extraordinary father's memory," Val's family said in a statement to a news publication on Thursday, April 3.
"We are so proud of him and honored to see his legacy celebrated. At this time, we would like to grieve privately," their message concluded.
Mercedes Kilmer was spotted hugging her mom, Joanne Whalley, one day after confirming her father's death.
Mercedes was briefly spotted in public the same week Val died, as she was seen hugging her mom, Joanne Whalley, 63, in West Hollywood, Calif., during a sweet interaction the morning after news broke about the Tombstone actor's passing.
Aside from Val's family grieving his death in private, tributes have poured in honoring the late star — who is also survived by his and Joanne's son, Jack, 29.
Val Kilmer died of pneumonia.
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Tom Cruise, Val's beloved Top Gun costar, held a moment of silence for his longtime pal while in attendance at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Thursday to promote Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
"I'd like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honored I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick," Cruise expressed. "I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him."
As for what Val's final years looked like, a source spilled after his death that the Batman Forever actor was allegedly "very frail near the end of his life."
"His death wasn’t sudden," the insider claimed. "His health seriously declined in the past week, and his friends and family came to Val's side at the hospital in the days before his death."
According to the confidante, Val had already been "hospitalized earlier this year." His children are reportedly "handling the funeral arrangements."
Val struggled with his health for more than a decade before his life came to an end following his 2014 cancer diagnosis.
Val Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, but was said to have recovered from it.
Battling the intense disease left him with a permanently damaged voice after undergoing a tracheostomy, chemotherapy and several radiation treatments.
Val was open about his recovery from cancer, admitting in 2021: "Now that it's more difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever. I obviously am sounding much worse than I feel."
He explained: "I can't speak without plugging this hole [in his throat]. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat. It's an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me."
People received a statement from Val's family.
