The Tragic Death Of Abigail Breslin's Father

Abigail Breslin has been a staple in Hollywood for nearly two decades, but the actor's fame and fortune never took her away from her close-knit family. Throughout the years, she has appeared in Little Miss Sunshine, Definitely, Maybe, and Scream Queens, but the beloved, young star has maintained a strong relationship with her parents and siblings.

Breslin was raised in New York City by her mom, Kim, who was a telecommunications expert, and her dad, Michael, a consultant (via IMDb). The Oscar nominee grew up alongside her siblings, Ryan and Spencer. Though Breslin was catapulted into the spotlight at an early age when she started acting at 6 years old, she credits her parents for keeping her humble.

"My family has been really important," the Freak Show actress gushed to Entertainment Weekly in December 2015. "When I'd wrap on a set and go home, it was always like a set-free zone, like we couldn't talk about work. [We] just talked about real normal life things, and I think that helped a lot in keeping me from being weird."

Tragically, Breslin's family endured heartbreak when her father, Michael, was diagnosed with COVID-19. The Dirty Dancing actor asked for prayers when her dad "tested positive" and was "placed on a ventilator" in early February 2021. "We are continuing to stay positive and know he's under great care," she wrote in a tweet. Weeks later, however, Breslin revealed her father died at age 78. Keep scrolling for more on Michael's devastating death.

Abigail Breslin gave fans the heartbreaking update that her father, Michael, died after testing positive for COVID-19. The My Sister's Keeper star announced the news alongside a series of photos of her dad via Instagram. "My daddy ... oh wow. Hard to write this. Harder than I thought. I'm in shock and devastation," she began her lengthy tribute on Feb. 26, 2021. "At 6:32 PM EST, my sweet, perfect, amazing, heroic, wonderful dada passed away after my family and I said goodbye. It was COVID-19 that cut my sweet daddy's life too short."

Breslin made sure her fans knew how much she appreciated the outpouring of "love and support" her family received amid Michael's battle with the coronavirus, but she focused her tribute on wanting to "remember my dad for who he was." The Zombieland actor listed her favorite things about her "hilarious, boisterous, tenacious, rebellious, intelligent, sweet, incredible" father.

"He loved life. He loved the simple things," Breslin penned. "He loved a cup of coffee (black, heated up for 66 seconds). He LOVED a good Knish (but ONLY in the winter). He loved BBQ'ing (and while we loved brown mustard he only wanted French's Yellow)."

Overall, though, Michael "loved his family," the star wrote while wrapping up her post. "And we loved him. And we always will. I miss you daddy. I can't wait to see you again. I won't ever, ever, ever forget you."