Val Kilmer’s Family Speaks Out After His Death

Days after Val Kilmer’s death, his family is breaking their silence.

In a statement to People magazine, his family said, “Thank you for honoring our extraordinary father's memory. We are so proud of him and honored to see his legacy celebrated. At this time, we would like to grieve privately."

On Tuesday, Val’s daughter Mercedes Kilmer confirmed that the “Batman Forever” actor died of pneumonia at age 65.

Family sources told TMZ that Val was confined to his bed for years before his death, mostly due to the aftermath of cancer treatments from his throat cancer diagnosis in 2014.

The insiders said he was already weak when his health deteriorated over the past week, and friends and family were able to gather by his side at the hospital. TMZ notes that Kilmer had been hospitalized earlier in the year as well.

After undergoing radiation, chemotherapy, and a tracheostomy, Kilmer had difficulty speaking.

Kilmer was in remission from cancer, but in his 2021 documentary “Val,” he shared, "I can't speak without plugging this hole [in my throat]. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat," adding that he used a feeding tube. "It's an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me."