The family of Grace VanderWaal is in the midst of a profound loss, as the America's Got Talent season 11 champion announced the passing of her mother, Tina VanderWaal, after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 53 years old. "Words are still elusive," wrote the 21-year-old Grace on Instagram on October 21, accompanied by a carousel of photos of her and her mom. "I love you, mommy. So much. I wake up and want to call you. I don't know how to move forward without you. I love you."
A day prior, the singer's father, Dave VanderWaal, had confirmed his wife's passing on October 20 in a heartfelt statement detailing her legacy. "Remembering the beautiful life and love of our amazing Tina," he wrote on Facebook. "It's hard to find the words to adequately express our family's sorrow, but I want to share the sad news that our beloved Tina VanderWaal—'Superwife' and Mother 'extraordinaire'—passed over to the Lord's hands last night. She was a fighter to the end of her long, 17-month battle with cancer, always finding a positive outlook no matter what—for herself and, even more importantly, for others facing the same difficult journey."
Dave, who also fathered children Jakob, 26, and Olivia, 25, with Tina—reflected on his wife of 27 years' best qualities. "Tina truly was the heart of our family, filling our lives with creativity, laughter, and love," he continued. "Whether she was designing beautiful jewelry, teaching others to discover their creative spirit, or making every holiday and family moment special, she brought light and joy to everything she touched."
He added, "While our hearts ache, I take comfort in knowing that Tina is now in Heaven—her bright, shining light still guiding us. I know we’ll see her again one day. Until then, we’ll hold tight to the love, joy, and beauty she gave us. She was a laser beam of light to all who knew her."
Tina had documented her journey with breast cancer on social media and shared in September that she had completed her second round of radiation. Alongside a video of her sharing the celebratory news and a series of throwback pictures of her undergoing treatment and smiling with her kids on her September 19 Instagram post, Tina wrote, "Radiation 2 done…8 more to go!"
In the wake of Tina's passing, many of Grace's friends and peers expressed their condolences, including Lauren Jauregui who wrote under Grace's post, "Sending you so much love angel," while Selma Blair added, "I am so sorry."
