How Ryan O'Neal Reunited with His Daughter Tatum Before His Death After 'Years of Hardship'

The actor — who died Friday at age 82 — and his daughter were at one point estranged for 20 years

Ryan O’Neal and his daughter Tatum O’Neal have mended their relationship after 20 years of estrangement ahead of the actor’s death on Friday at the age of 82.

Tatum, 60 — who starred opposite her father in the 1974 film Paper moon at the age of 10, and later became the youngest Oscar winner for her role in the film — previously documenting her challenging relationship with her father in her 2004 biography. A life of paper.

However, following the death of Ryan’s partner Farah Fawcett in 2009, the two reconciled, and recently, a touching photo posted on Instagram by Tatum’s son Sean McEnroe in 2020 shows the family together for the first time in 17 years “after so many years of hardship.”

Tatum O’Neal and Ryan O’Neal are reuniting in 2020 in an Instagram photo shared by Tatum’s son Sean. Sean McEnroe/Instagram Ryan O’Neal’s four children: All about the family’s ups and downs over the years

“This is one of the most memorable photos in my life. The last time we were all together was at the 30th anniversary of Paper Moon in 2003,” Sean, now 36, captioned the photo, which shows both Tatum and Ryan smiling alongside Sean and the two other children Tatum shares with ex-husband John McEnroe — son Kevin, now 37, and daughter Emily, now 32.

Sean continued: “I could cry tears of gratitude that everyone in this photo is still alive and that we’ve all been able to reunite after so many years of hardship. The whole West Coast is burning, but if the O’Neals can make up, anything really is possible 🙏🏻☺️💛#Reconciliation #Forgiveness #Wholeness #Love #FAMILY.”

Although father and daughter were estranged from each other for many years, they began their journey towards reconciliation in 2008 after Ryan’s then-partner Fawcett was diagnosed with cancer.

Ryan O’Neal and Tatum O’Neal at the Raquel Welch “Beyond The Cleavage” Book Party hosted by Alana Stewart at Oscar de La Renta Boutique on May 6, 2010 in West Hollywood, California.

Craig Barritt/WireImage

Ryan O’Neal took a picture with his daughter Tatum O’Neal to mark her 82nd birthday 7 months before his death

Speaking to PEOPLE in 2010, Tatum explained that she gave Ryan’s phone number to her son, Sean, because she was concerned for his father’s well-being amid Fawcett’s illness. She also reached for Charlie’s Angels the star itself before its death.

Tatum said at the time that a few months after Fawcett’s death at age 62 in June 2009, she received a call from her father and the pair arranged to meet.

“It was like time stood still,” Ryan told PEOPLE at the time. “She is so happy. This is a different person than I remember.”

“He told me he was sorry,” Tatum said of the meeting. “He is all I have in terms of family and I needed him in my life. My dad was absolutely everything to me.”

Tatum admitted that Fawcett’s death “played a very big part” in her and her father’s reunion.

“She brought us back together,” the actress said at the time, revealing that her tragic death made her think about her father’s mortality.

Ryan O’Neal and Tatum O’Neal at the screening of “Paper Moon” at the Camelot Theater during the 22nd Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 16, 2011 in Palm Springs, California.

Michael Buckner/Getty

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“God forbid something happened to my dad. I don’t know if I could live with myself,” she said.

At the time, Ryan also reflected on his role as a parent and how his absence may have contributed to Tatum’s struggles in life.

“Maybe I could have helped her,” he admitted. “She had no one after her mother died. She didn’t want me, and she said I left her, and I did. … A lot of rough things were done.”

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Back in April, Tatum posted a cute photo with her father celebrating his 82nd birthday.

“Happy birthday dad, I love you,” she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the two of them smiling together while sitting on a bed.

Following Ryan’s death on Friday — announced in an Instagram post by his son, Patrick O’Neal — the actress shared an exclusive statement with PEOPLE, emphasizing her deep love for her father while also acknowledging her gratitude that the two reconciled.

“I feel great sadness over my father’s death,” she said.

“He meant the world to me. I loved him so much and I know he loved me too. I will miss him forever and I feel very lucky that we ended up on such good terms,” ​​Tatum added.

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Source: HIS Education