**Robert Redford Spent Final Years in Bay Area Before Moving to New Mexico, Carrying the Sadness of Son’s Passing**
*Published September 18, 2025, 5:00 p.m. ET*
Oscar-winning actor and director Robert Redford, famed for iconic roles in *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid* and *All the President’s Men*, passed away on Tuesday, September 16, at the age of 89. RadarOnline.com can reveal that Redford spent his last years quietly in the Bay Area before relocating to New Mexico, but friends and neighbors noted a visible sadness in the screen legend following the death of his son James to cancer.
For years, Redford lived with his wife, artist Sibylle Szaggars, 67, in Tiburon, an affluent enclave overlooking San Francisco Bay. Locals described him as friendly and approachable, but many observed the grief he carried after James’ death in 2020 at the age of 58.
James Redford, a filmmaker and activist, battled liver disease for decades before succumbing to bile duct cancer. A waiter at a bayside restaurant in Tiburon, who often served Redford, shared, “He was one of my best customers. Bob would sit at the same table every week with Sibylle and friends. He was incredibly gracious; he’d chat with the staff and ask questions about our lives. But there was an intense sadness to him after his son died. He talked about how much he missed him, and it was heartbreaking.”
Another local acquaintance who frequently saw Redford on the town’s walking trails echoed that sentiment: “He felt like a part of him had been lost; it was hard for him to live without his boy. You could see it weighed on him, even as he tried to carry on with daily life.”
### Redford’s Enduring Pain and Advocacy
James’ illness deeply influenced Redford’s later work and advocacy. After receiving two liver transplants in 1993, James established the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness and directed *The Kindness of Strangers*, a documentary about organ donors. He went on to create several socially engaged films while raising two children with his wife, Kyle.
The loss of James was not the first tragedy for the Redford family. Robert Redford and his first wife, historian Lola Van Wagenen, 86, lost their first child, Scott, to sudden infant death syndrome in 1959, when Redford was only 21. Reflecting on that painful time during a 2017 interview with *Esquire UK*, Redford said, “Of course it was traumatic, and how that plays out over time, I don’t know. We had to deal with it. You have to move on. And we had other children who came. But something like that doesn’t get completely dismissed.”
### Life in Tiburon and Move to New Mexico
Redford purchased his Tiburon home in 2020 for $3.1 million and sold it in 2024 for $4.65 million. The split-level property, surrounded by towering redwoods, offered sweeping views of Angel Island and San Francisco Bay. He also sold a Napa Valley estate in 2019 for $7 million.
A close friend revealed that the decision to leave Tiburon was influenced by Szaggars’ love of the Santa Fe art scene. “He said he loved Tiburon, but it was time for a change,” the friend explained. “He promised to come back to visit, and everyone here missed him.”
Despite his reclusive later years, residents fondly recall moments of warmth from the legendary actor. One woman reminisced about waving to him as he walked down Main Street, typically wearing a cap and sunglasses. “Seeing Robert Redford was a highlight,” she said. “He’d wave back, and that was enough for everyone. No autographs, no photos – just respect.”
### Passing and Legacy
Redford’s publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed that he died at his Sundance home in Utah, “surrounded by those he loved.”
Robert Redford leaves behind a remarkable legacy as an actor, director, activist, and beloved community member who touched countless lives both on and off the screen.
https://radaronline.com/p/robert-redford-last-days-reclusive-intense-sadness-death-of-son/