Fans and friends are virtually embracing longtime Hallmark star Nikki DeLoach, after she paid tribute to her dad, David DeLoach, with a heartbreaking post on the second anniversary of his death at age 66. The actress and screenwriter has been open about her grief journey after losing her dad in 2021 to Pick’s disease, a form of frontotemporal dementia, and has channeled some of her heartache into becoming a vocal advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association and incorporating grief stories into her work as a writer and actress.
On July 27, 2023, DeLoach shared an emotionally raw Instagram post about her dad, who “was a logger and drove 18-wheelers” for his family’s timber and trucking business, she told Guideposts in 2021, and about her continuing dance with grief.
“Two years, 13 hours, 29 minutes,” DeLoach began her post, which included a photo of her with her dad, smiling. “Yes, I’ve counted the days, hours and minutes since I last held you. I hate (and I use that word very sparingly) being in a world without you. But I do. I hate it. And also, I’m fighting to move forward and celebrate life and to honor you in all I do. In the way I parent. In the way I love others. In acts of service. In animals and nature. In music. In dancing. And in my grief.”
DeLoach wrote about sensing that her dad is still with her, especially when she pays close attention.
She shared, “I’m trying hard to listen, because I know you are with me all the time. I can feel you, hear you. Thank you for the feathers. Thank you for protecting my family, just as you did here on earth. Thank you for guiding me in all I do.”
Friends & Fans Respond to Nikki DeLoach’s Emotional Tribute to Her Dad
DeLoach’s poignant tribute touched many fans and friends who left encouraging and grateful comments on her post.
Her friend and “Curious Caterer” co-star Andrew Walker wrote, “The best daughter any father could ask for. ❤️”
DeLoach responded, “Thank you so much, my dear dear friend. Love you ?”
Another Hallmark colleague, Michael Rady, wrote, “❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ big hugs to you friend.”
DeLoach’s screenwriting partner, Megan McNulty, commented, “Beautiful my partner. Every syllable. Your Northstar forever and ever, Amen. Finding the feathers and praying with you and for you. I love you❤️”
DeLoach also took the time to respond to many fans who wrote of their own losses or sent encouraging words.
One woman wrote, “It’s so hard. I immediately teared up reading this since I lost my dad around the same time and even though your words describe the absolute pain, I know the words aren’t even close to enough for someone who hasn’t lost a parent.”
DeLoach responded, ” I am so sorry you lost your dad too. The hurt is so deep. Sending you so much love ❤️?”
When another fan wrote, “You have your daddies smile❤️,” Deloach replied, “Best compliment ❤️.”
DeLoach posted additional photos of her dad in her Instagram Stories, as well as a video of her friend and bestselling author Kate Bowler interviewing supermodel Paulina Porizkova about the grief of losing her husband, Cars lead singer Ric Ocasek in 2019 and how much she relied on friends who were willing to just be present with her.
Alongside the reel, DeLoach wrote, “Thank you to every beloved who has been a steady presence in my grief. Sitting nearby and saying, ‘I see your pain and I’m here.’ I love you all so much. ❤️?”
Nikki DeLoach Felt ‘Stuck’ in Grief Before Filming ‘The Gift of Peace’
Hallmark HallmarkPrincess Davis, Nikki DeLoach, Brennan Elliott, Cardi Wong, Beverley Elliott in “The Gift of Peace”
Last December, DeLoach revealed that filming the Hallmark movie “The Gift of Peace” a year after her dad’s death was an unexpectedly healing experience, not only for her but also for her castmates, including co-star Brennan Elliott. In the 2022 movie, DeLoach plays an artist named Traci who was a once-devout Christian but stopped believing in God ad lost her creative spark after her husband tragically died, but finds a sense of peace as she gets to know the people in a grief support group.
During an interview with KRON’s “Live in the Bay”, DeLoach said that as the circle of five actors connected on set and worked through the heavy subject matter of the film, they found themselves processing and healing some of their own personal grief together. In addition to still reeling over her dad’s death, she said, Elliott was dealing with the “anticipatory grief” of his wife’s ongoing cancer battle and future health hurdles, and another member of the group had just lost their stepfather weeks prior to shooting the film.
“We were all really in it together,” DeLoach said. “And what I learned through that is that I finally began to start processing. We would all, even between takes, start sharing our stories with each other of our loved ones.”
“And something opened up,” she continued. “Something lightened up inside of me. I began to find some joy again. I began to laugh, I began to start celebrating life again. Like, little by little, I just started inching forward. And we all found that together. So it was just such a beautiful experience of us all being brought together to do this movie, but we were all transformed at the end of it on a very personal level.”
Elliott also found the experience to be profound, and revealed to TV Fanatic that he was scared to take on the role at first, saying that his first reaction to reading the script was, “I don’t want to do this. It scares the life out of me.”
“I knew what it was like to lose someone and to be in grief,” he continued. “I know what it’s like even to be faced with the fear of anticipatory grief. Obviously, as a caregiver for my wife’s illness, it hit home in some ways that scared me. But at the same time, those are the ones you want to do.”
Nikki: I totally understand your grief; I was 7 months pregnant with our only child & had just moved into our brand new home we had watched nearly every day being built; my step mom & daddy came to visit us on the 11th of December & were so happy to see our new home; & see my tummy getting bigger by the day; we had supper together & we were all so happy that evening: as they put their coats on & gave hugs & hand shakes to my hubby, Larry, daddy said well, son, the Good Lord willing & the creeks don’t rise, we’ll see you at our place in 2 weeks for Christmas Eve and we told him, “yes sir, we are looking forward to it”. The following Monday I became very ill vomiting, extremely exhausted, and a few other issues, so went to my DR to learn I was being put on a specific medication for pregnancy with the symptoms I was having but also complete bed rest. We had called from my in-laws home to have a telephone installed so I managed to get up & go to the door to let the tech in on the following Thursday & then had to sit at the kitchen table with my head on it to keep from being sick; when he finished putting in both phones & checking the lines to see if they were working properly I let him out the back door & then creeped back down the long hallway to the bedroom. My hubby came in & I made the easiest supper for him I possibly could & wasn’t about to eat anything but crackers & 7-up. Monday morning came & I sat up for a bit and around noon I began to feel pretty decent & had the greatest craving for peach pie I think I’ve ever had in my life; so I got the stuff out & made one. Hubby, Larry had told his dad whom he worked with each day what our new number would be & called his mom to tell her as well & when he came home was overwhelmed to smell something wonderful baking; he could hardly believe I was up let alone baking a pie. I told him I had to get better, because I still had Christmas shopping to do. I made a fairly decent supper for him & we listened to some cassettes we loved to listen to & then one of his sisters & family came & was shocked I was up. We invited them in and talked around the kitchen table along with a piece of pie together & though I was pretty tired by this time I didn’t feel so terribly. Very early in the following morning about 4:20 a.m. came the most devastating phone call I can remember ever getting. I thought how on earth does anyone know our number to be calling this early; to my chagrin, I could hear Larry talking down the hallway, but couldn’t make out all he was saying but had a pretty good idea. It was my older sister letting us know daddy had slipped away a couple hours before to Heaven. I won’t ever forget the feeling of numbness and every December around the 11th or 12th I start having that melancholic feeling & realizing the 18th is not that many days away. No matter what is going on that might be in the Christmas festivities line, it’s always hard for me to get into the mood to be happy. Oh, I have moved on & realize Daddy is waiting for me in Heaven with my bio mother & my step mom, but if I could just have 5 more minutes with him as Scotty McCreary sings about his grandfather, I’d be so very happy; maybe even just one more minute; someday I’ll have more than that but for today even 1 more minute would be sufficient. Our baby boy was born 2 months to the day of daddy’s passing & I always wish he could have know his PaPa, they would have loved each other supremely; it wasn’t meant to be, and by the way, daddy was only 54; you were blessed to have your daddy as long as you did my dear. You are loved & God knows your heart throb.
Very sincerely yours, Harryette Miller Burnette
I am sorry this late.I love you all! I am so glad you could help each other, about three years ago I had good friend die of brain cancer. I remembering her his widow say at the funeral if she only new the signs.They family could have got help soon. I was wondering if any of you know any signs to look for ahead of time?