Robert Redford wasn’t just a Hollywood icon—he was “simply Grandpa” to his family. Following his death at age 89 on Sept. 16, 2025, Redford’s grandchildren filled social media with touching tributes and never-before-seen family photos that showed the man they knew and loved outside of the spotlight.
Conor Schlosser, the 33-year-old son of Redford’s daughter Shauna Redford and Eric Schlosser, shared five personal photos with his grandfather, including snapshots of the two horseback riding, golfing, and enjoying time together at a dinner table. Alongside the pictures, Conor wrote, “He was larger than life to the world, but to his family, he was simply that … family. Rest in peace, Grandpa.?”
He also invited others to share their memories: “If anyone has a favorite story of him you’d like to share, please send it to me in a private message—I’d love to collect them.”
For Redford’s granddaughter Lena Hart Redford, daughter of his late son James Redford, the tributes also included special moments on horseback and on movie sets. Her post featured a red heart emoji, and in her Instagram Stories, she reflected on lessons learned from her grandfather: “Taught me so much. … Had us all in Kangol.” She even shared a photo of Redford and James together, writing, “Dad & grandpa, I feel like they are riding awesome horses in heaven.”
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Lena’s brother Dylan, 34, echoed the sentiment. In his Instagram Story, he wrote, “He was best grampa a grandson could ask for. He also made amazing things, helped others make amazing things, and tried to make the world a better place.”
Dylan had previously shared a story from his childhood that revealed how he slowly realized just how famous his grandfather was. In a 2016 interview with the Walker Art Center, he remembered Grandparents’ Day at his school: “I remember the time when I was in fourth grade and you came to my school for Grandparents’ Day. That was a real moment for me, where I was like, ‘What is going on? This is my grandpa. Why is everyone so interested?’”
He recalled a classmate giving him a note supposedly meant for Redford: “It was like, ‘What is going on here? Is this like all grandparents? Is there some sort of communication between grandparents that’s going on that I don’t know about?’”
Redford himself admitted that was the day he realized his grandchildren were starting to see him differently. “I remember that Grandparents’ Day and realizing, ‘Jesus, Dylan and Lena, they don’t know. They’re probably wondering what the hell is going on here, because I’m going to Grandparents’ Day but I’m suddenly not a grandparent. I’m a celebrity.’”
But Dylan emphasized that the fame never mattered to them: “Well, I’ve talked with Lena and the cousins about how lucky we all feel to have you as our grandfather and as someone in our lives who is so open and honest and willing to give advice and to tell stories. It’s always felt to us that you are first and foremost our grandfather.”
Redford’s rep, Cindi Berger, confirmed his passing in a statement: “Robert Redford passed away on Sept. 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved. He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.”
Though celebrated for films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, Redford always considered family his greatest accomplishment. He once said in an interview, “The hardest thing in the world is when your children have problems. There have been so many hits on our family that no one knows about, and I don’t want them to, for my family’s sake.”
He called his children his “greatest achievement.”
Redford is survived by his daughters, Shauna and Amy, seven grandchildren, and his second wife, Sibylle Szaggars, whom he married in 2009.
For Hollywood and the world, Redford leaves behind a legacy of timeless films. But for his family, the legacy is far simpler and more profound: a grandfather who loved them deeply, made time for them, and taught them that family always comes first.
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