Robert Redford mourning with family after losing son James to liver cancer

James Redford, documentary filmmaker, activist, and son of Robert Redford lost his life to liver cancer on Friday.

Robert Redford is staying close to his family as they mourn the death of his son James Redford. A representative for the actor, Cindi Berger, told People magazine that the veteran actor "is mourning with his family during this difficult time and asks for privacy."

"The grief is immeasurable with the loss of a child. Jamie was a loving son, husband and father. His legacy lives on through his children, art, filmmaking and devoted passion to conservation and the environment," Berger said.

James passed away last week at the age of 58. Kyle, his wife of over three decades, confirmed the news on Saturday by sharing a heartbreaking tribute for him on Twitter.

Alongside a collage of happy family pictures, she wrote: "Jamie died today. We're heartbroken. He lived a beautiful, impactful life & was loved by many. He will be deeply missed."

"As his wife of 32 yrs, I'm most grateful for the two spectacular children we raised together. I don't know what we would've done w/o them over the past 2yrs," Kyle added.

In a conversation with The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday, Kyle confirmed that her husband died from bile-duct cancer in his liver, which had returned two years ago but was discovered last November while he was awaiting a liver transplant.

The filmmaker had struggled with health issues since his childhood and was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a rare autoimmune disease affecting the liver. He also received two liver transplants in 1993.

In 1993, the father-of-two founded the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, a nonprofit created to educate the public about organ and tissue donation. He also co-founded non-profit The Redford Center with father Robert in 2005, which focuses on producing films and providing grants to filmmakers who direct films that touch on climate change and the environment.

It was James's health issues at a young age which inspired Robert Redford to settle down in Utah, where he later established the Sundance Film Festival and the Sundance Institute.