Willie Garson's son, Nathen, is sharing all the ways his late father inspired him.
On the anniversary of the Sex and the City star's passing—who died of pancreatic cancer last September at age 57—his 21-year-old son penned an emotional Instagram tribute honoring his dad.
"Wow. I can't believe it's already been a year since this beautiful bald man that I can proudly call my dad passed away," Nathen began his lengthy Sept. 21 post. "Besides his head, I think I miss his laugh and smile the most. Because I knew that whenever he was laughing he wasn't the only one laughing."
Alongside a carousel of photos of him and the White Collar actor throughout the years, he continued, "He had a gift of being able to talk to literally anyone he came into contact with and make them either laugh or awkwardly smile from a joke he had probably just told them."
Willie's jokes, Nathen said, are just one of the things he misses the most about his dad.
"I had heard the same 3 or 4 dad jokes from the time I moved in at 7 to when I turned 15," Nathen shared. "So at least a hundred times each joke and I would beg him to get a new joke. Now, however, I wouldn't be upset to hear him say those same jokes a thousand or even a million more times."
Nathen noted that Willie wasn't just his father, but also his best friend and mentor.
"He inspired me when I was younger to be better than I ever thought I could and because of that I try to always do better," he explained. "I would not be where I am today if not for him. I wouldn't be who I am if not for him."
Nathen went on to note the different lessons he learned from his dad, including how "to care about others" and "how to love."
He also shared how he's been moving forward since his dad's death.
"It's important to revisit the past, but it's also just as easy to get stuck in the past," Nathen said. "It's more important to remember that there's also a tomorrow and a future. As you move forward, make sure you smile and live life to its fullest…because no matter how much time you might think you have, I promise you there's less."
His note concluded, "Life comes and goes way too quick so cherish everyone and say hi to a stranger every once in a while because you never know when you could meet your next best friend. That's how my dad met me. Thank you for all the lessons dad."
In the comments of Nathen's post, several of Willie's co-stars and friends paid tribute to the late actor, including Sex and the City star Kristen Davis. "Oh Nathen sending you all of our love!" she wrote. "We are all going to be together today and i feel him here with us. Thinking of all of the jokes he made the last time we did all of these things together. Thank you for this."
Hilarie Burton, who appeared in White Collar with Willie, added, "I love you Nathen. Your dad was exceptionally good at making others feel seen and special and loved. He was so so good to me. I love him and I'm grateful he gave you to all the rest of us. You Garson boys have a big chunk of my heart. Come to NY. Xoxoxo"