Candace Cameron Bure is grieving the loss of her father-in-law, former athlete Vladimir Bure.
“Our hearts are broken as we mourn the passing of Val’s dad, Vladimir Bure,” the actress, 48, wrote in an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday, September 4, alongside a series of photos of Vladimir, who passed away at the age of 73 the day before.
“I loved this man so very much. To me, he symbolized not only the precious gift of life — my husband — for which I’m forever grateful, but also embodied qualities of strength, dedication, motivation, resilience, willpower, and love.
In my eyes, he was the epitome of all those traits, almost superhuman in some way.”
Cameron Bure has been married to Valeri Bure, Vladimir’s youngest son, since 1996. Valeri, 50, is the younger of two sons, with his brother being fellow hockey player Pavel Bure, both born to Vladimir and his wife, Tatiana Bure.
Reflecting on Vladimir’s accomplished career, Cameron Bure recalled him as a “four-time Olympic medalist in swimming and a two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach for the New Jersey Devils,” while also highlighting his role as a proud father, grandfather, husband, and dedicated coach.
“Most of all, I know how much he loved his family,” she added.
The Full House star concluded her heartfelt tribute with a note of gratitude: “Thank you for praying for all of the Bure family as we grieve. We love you, Vladimir, and you’ll forever be in our hearts.”
She also shared more memories of her father-in-law via her Instagram Story, posting photos of Vladimir with an Olympic medal and snapshots from his NHL coaching days.
“If you knew my father-in-law, trained with him, were coached by him, or knew him as a friend, I’d love to hear your memories or a story,” she wrote in the captions.
Cameron Bure’s daughter, Natasha Bure, also paid tribute to her grandfather in her own Instagram Story. “My incredible Dedushka. Rest in peace,” she wrote alongside a photo of Vladimir with her father.
“I have infinite love for you and for giving me my Papa.” (Cameron Bure and Valeri share three children: Natasha, 26, and sons Lev, 24, and Maksim, 22.)
Vladimir’s death comes just weeks after Cameron Bure marked the 30th anniversary of meeting her husband.
“August 18, 2024, marks the 30-year anniversary of the day Val and I met at a charity hockey game,” she shared in an Instagram post last month, alongside a picture of the couple.
“I wish I had a photo from that day, but here’s one 30 years later to mark the occasion. I love growing old with you, my love.”
Valeri also made an appearance in his wife’s Instagram feed earlier this summer during their family’s vacation to Italy.
“Dear Italy, we love you ,” Cameron Bure captioned a series of photos from their June trip, including a sweet shot of Valeri giving her a kiss on the cheek.