Candace Cameron Bure is paying tribute to her late father-in-law, Vladimir Bure.
Candace, 48, announced the death of her husband Valeri Bure‘s father in an Instagram post on Wednesday, Sept. 4. According to the NHL, Bure died on Tuesday, Sept. 3. He was 73.
Her post included an older photo of Vladimir with his two sons, Pavel Bure and Valeri, to whom Candace has been married for 28 years.
“Our hearts are broken as we grieve the loss of Val’s dad Vladimir Bure. I loved this man so very much. To me, he represented not only the gift of life (my husband) that I am forever grateful for, but one of strength, dedication, motivation, resilience, willpower and love. In my mind, he was the epitome of each of those words, a little bit super human in some way,” she wrote.
Candance continued by highlighting Vladimir’s notable accomplishments. “Vladimir was an 4x Olympic medalist in swimming and a 2x Stanley Cup winning coach for the New Jersey Devils,” she wrote alongside a few photos of Vladimir by himself, including during one of his swim meets and the NHL’s image memorizing him.
Vladimir was a four-time Olympic medalist in swimming events, winning one at the 1968 Mexico City Games and another three at the 1972 Munich Games. He was also a fitness consultant for the New Jersey Devils from 1999 to 2010. During his tenure, the team won the Stanley Cup in 2000 and 2003.
Along with photos from his youth, the Fuller House star included two photos alongside her father-in-law. One was a sweet picture of them embracing, while the other showed them dancing.
“He was a proud father, grandfather, husband and dedicated coach. Most of all, I know how much he loved his family. 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,” Candace concluded.
Several people expressed their condolences for the Bure family in Candace’s comments section, including the account for the Great American Family network.
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of your father-in-law, Candace,” the comment read. “Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time. Wishing you strength, comfort, and peace as you navigate this loss.”
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Candace and Valeri’s daughter, Natasha Valerievna, 26, also paid tribute to her late grandfather on her Sept. 4 Instagram Stories.
“My incredible Dedushka Rest in peace. I have infinite love for you and for giving me my Papa,” she wrote on top of the same photo Candance posted of Valeri and Vladimir. “Dedushka” is the Russian word for “grandpa.”
Candace and Valeri are also parents to Lev, 24, and Maksim, 22.