Abigail Breslin's Father Died From COVID-19: "I’m in Shock and Devastation"

In late February 2021, reports confirmed that actress Abigail Breslin's father, Michael Breslin, died from complications related to COVID-19. He was 78 years old at the time of his death.

Abigail took to Instagram on Feb. 26, writing "Oh wow. Hard to write this. Harder than I thought. I’m in shock and devastation. At 6:32 PM EST, my sweet, perfect, amazing, heroic, wonderful dada passed away after my family and I said goodbye. It was COVID-19 that cut my sweet daddy’s life too short. I appreciate more than you know, the love and support my family and I have received.

Abigail Breslin's father contracted COVID-19 sometime earlier in February 201 (or possibly earlier than that). Abigail posted a message to Instagram on Feb. 10, asking for prayers and positivity for her father, who had tested positive for COVID-19. The situation seemed to escalate quickly, since he was put on a ventilator. It's unclear whether he had pre-existing conditions that may have caused complications. 

Michael Breslin was a telecommunications expert, computer programmer, and consultant. He and Abigail's mother, Kim Breslin (a personal stylist) raised their children (Abigail has two brothers, Ryan and Spencer) in New York City in the Lower East Side. Abigail posted a beautiful tribute to him on Instagram, writing about what she wants people to remember about her father.

She wrote: "My dad was a hilarious, boisterous, tenacious, rebellious, intelligent, sweet, incredible human being. He loved life. He loved his family. He loved the simple things ... He loved a cup of coffee(black, heated up for 66 seconds). He LOVED a good Knish (but ONLY in the winter). He loved BBQ’ing (and while we loved brown mustard he only wanted French’s Yellow). He loved Breyer's ice cream (strawberry, vanilla and chocolate NEO style)."

Abigail continued, "He loved doo-wop songs, specifically, 'I Wonder Why' by Dion & The Belmonts and 'Under The Boardwalk' by The Drifters. He loved dogs and cats and all animals and he especially loved hearing funny stories about my pets in particular. He’s always say, 'abba dabba you’ve got that animal lover in you just like me.'"

"He loved taking pictures and flying planes and good dinners and music from the '50s and '60s and good couches and Kenyan mountain coffee and funny YouTube videos and email threads and weird poems and politics and he loved me and he loved my brothers and he loved my mom. And we loved him. And we always will. I miss you daddy. I can’t wait to see you again. I won’t ever, ever, ever forget you."

It's unclear where he contracted the virus (or if this is even known to the Breslin family). On Feb. 11, Abigail urged her followers to wear masks.

Our deepest condolences go out to the Breslin family.

The best way to prevent contracting or spreading the coronavirus is with thorough hand washing and social distancing. If you feel you may be experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus, which include persistent cough (usually dry), fever, shortness of breath, and fatigue, please call your doctor before going to get tested. For comprehensive resources and updates, visit the CDC website. If you are experiencing anxiety about the virus, seek out mental health support from your provider or visit NAMI.org.