Daniel Zuchnik/WireImageRyan Reynolds is mourning the loss of his father, who died at age 74 earlier this week after battling Parkinson's disease for 20 years.
The 39-year-old Canadian actor posted on his Twitter page on Wednesday a heartwarming photo of the two, showing himself as a baby, in his dad's arms.
"RIP Pops," Ryan wrote. "James C. Reynolds. 1941-2015."
According to an online obituary, James, who went by the nickname Jim, passed away peacefully on Sunday with his loved ones by his side in a hospital in White Rock, B.C. He is survived by his brother and sister, his wife and Ryan's mom Tammy Reynolds, the actor and the couple's three other sons, plus six grandchildren, including Ryan and wife Blake Lively's first child and 10-month-old daughter, also named James.
"Despite health challenges that could have slowed him down, Jim was a strong and passionate man who lived life to the fullest," the obituary read. "His spirit, stories and memories live on in his sons and grandkids."
No formal memorial service is planned and in lieu of flowers, his family suggests donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Ryan's father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a neurological disorder that causes tremors and has no cure, in 1995, NBC's Today show reported. He became involved with the group in 2008 and serves on its board of directors. That year, he announced he would run the New York City Marathon to rally support for the cause.
"While I'll probably never fully understand Michael's struggle, I've had a first-hand peek behind the curtain of Parkinson's. I've watched my father—a strong and proud person who successfully raised 4 arguably insane children—slowly, cruelly stripped of his independence. His golden years robbed without explanation," Ryan wrote in a Huffington Post op-ed. "Witnessing my Dad suffer over the years galvanized my need to step up."
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