When Virgin River star Annette O’Toole celebrated her 73rd birthday on April 1, she wasn’t surrounded by the usual joy and laughter. Instead, she shared a deeply emotional tribute that revealed a profound personal loss — the death of her beloved mother.
The actress, best known to millions as Hope McCrea on Netflix’s hit series, took to Instagram to honor both her special day and the woman who shaped her life. “Today is my first birthday without my mother. She died in January,” Annette wrote, accompanying her message with two touching photos — one of her mom as a radiant young woman, and another showing her later in life, smiling gently while holding a plant.
The post struck an emotional chord with fans and friends alike, offering a rare glimpse into Annette’s personal world. Known for her warmth and grace both on and off screen, the actress chose to focus not only on her grief but also on a moment that made her feel her mother’s presence in the most unexpected way.
“Today I did the Wordle and the word was one she always called me,” she revealed. “I felt like she had just said ‘Happy Birthday Nette’ from beyond. I love you with all my heart, Mimmy.”
It was the kind of story that could have been lifted from Virgin River itself — quiet, intimate, and suffused with hope even in the face of loss. Fans flooded her comments section with love and support. “What a beautiful birthday message she sent you,” one follower wrote. Another added, “It’s too hard to lose our mothers, but thank heavens for sweet memories!”
Others were struck by the resemblance between Annette and her mother. “She was a true beauty… you favor her so much,” one fan noted. Another chimed in, “Wow, you looked so much like her. Sending love and a happy birthday.”
For longtime viewers of Virgin River, where Annette’s character Hope has faced her share of heartache and resilience, this real-life moment of connection feels especially poignant. The actress has always imbued Hope with a deep emotional intelligence — something that now, more than ever, seems drawn from her own life.
But Annette’s story isn’t the only heartbreak to touch the Virgin River family recently. Her co-star Callum Kerr, who portrayed the younger version of Everett Reid, also suffered an unimaginable loss earlier this year. In February, his parents, Dawn and Andrew Searle, were found deceased at their home in southwest France in what authorities described as a likely homicide.
Through an emotional statement shared on social media, Kerr and his siblings asked for privacy as they mourned their parents, calling it “a tragic loss” and thanking fans for their understanding.
It’s a sobering reminder that behind the idyllic mountain town of Virgin River, the cast members who bring these heartfelt stories to life are living their own chapters of love, loss, and healing.
For Annette O’Toole, this year’s birthday may have been marked by grief, but her words prove that even in mourning, love endures — sometimes in the smallest, most miraculous ways. A Wordle. A nickname. A whisper from beyond.
And just like her character Hope, Annette found a way to see beauty in the bittersweet — reminding fans everywhere that sometimes, even after goodbye, the people we love still find a way to say “hello.”
