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Neighbors Recall Robert Redford’s Quiet Sorrow in Final Years After Son’s Death

Anecdotes from former neighbors describe a reserved demeanor shaped by family loss.

Overview

  • Redford died on September 16, 2025, at age 89 at his home in Utah, where he had lived for more than six decades after leaving Los Angeles in 1961.
  • Recent reports cite former neighbors and acquaintances who say he never fully recovered from the 2020 death of his son James from bile-duct cancer.
  • Friends and locals described him as kind and approachable yet often contemplative, noting a persistent sadness in public outings.
  • He founded the Sundance Institute and Festival in 1978 and developed Utah into a hub for independent filmmaking.
  • A longtime environmental advocate and NRDC trustee since the 1970s, he opposed a proposed coal plant in Utah and spoke frequently about climate pressures on ranchers and farmers, while family representatives have not offered new official comment on his emotional state.