'My Guiding Light': Hilary Swank Pays Tribute to Her Dad Who Died Less than 2 Years Ago

Hilary Swank’s father spent most of his last years in the company of his famous daughter, who cared for him when he was sick. While it’s been almost two years since his demise, his daughter still remembers the sweet moments they shared.

The “Freedom Writer” actress recently took to Instagram to celebrate her late dad’s 75th birthday. She shared photos with her father, Stephen Michael Swank, alongside a touching tribute.

In the post, Hilary stated he missed him and noted he would be a great grandfather to her two children, who she recently gave birth to.

“You would be 75 today and a Great Papa to two more extraordinary souls,” she wrote. Hilary Swank praised her dad, adding she greatly missed him, and concluded, ” Thank you for being my guiding light. I love you, Dad, always and forever through every lifetime.”

When Hilary Swank’s father died, his death devasted her. She once opened up about the difficult period in her life and revealed it took her time to cope with the loss.

In an emotional Instagram post, the actress stated that before her father’s demise, she had developed a unique relationship with him and elaborated, “He will always remain one of my most favorite persons, and not a day goes by that I don’t miss him.”

Hilary’s father’s death helped her better understand the circle of life, which she claimed awakened her to the truest sense of living. The actress, who co-starred with Peter Sarsgaard in the 1999 romance film “Boys Don’t Cry,” also stated that she learned to forgive and move on past things that held her.

Though Hilary Swank’s father spent most of his last moments with his daughter, he was not present in her life in her late teens. By the age of 15, Hilary had set her sights on acting. Her parents had separated, and since her mother was convinced her daughter could make it in Hollywood, that is where they went.

With $75 and no place to stay, the pair headed for California. Following a few weeks of living in their car, a friend of the pair offered their empty house on sale for them to sleep in. It didn’t take long before Hilary would land her first gig and they were homeless no more.

The house had no furniture; they would only sleep at night and leave in the morning so that their friend would find a buyer for the home.

The Oscar Award winner got her breakthrough role at 23 when she joined the drama series “Beverly Hills, 90210” cast, playing alongside Jennie Garth, Luke Perry, and Shannen Doherty.