Kaitlyn Dever Mourns Mom Kathy’s Death After Cancer Battle: ‘I Don’t Know How I’ll Go On’

Booksmart’s Kaitlyn Dever is honoring her mother, Kathy Dever, following her death at age 53.

“I don’t even have the words,” Kaitlyn, 27, wrote in a touching tribute shared via Instagram on Wednesday, February 21, accompanied by a carousel of family photos taken over the years. “Nothing I’ll ever say will amount to the gifts you have given me in my life, the boundless joy you brought, the deep, endless, unconditional love you gave me and our family.”

Kaitlyn gushed that her mother’s “love was everywhere” throughout her battle with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. “It was getting to tell you about my day, it was getting the best advice from you anyone would be so lucky to receive, it was going places with you because no matter where we were..we were having fun and laughing,” she wrote. “Your love was like sunshine, warmed me when I needed it the most and made me smile when I was ever sad.”

Along with Kaitlyn, Kathy is survived by her husband, Tim Dever, and daughters Mady and Jane Dever. “I will be broken forever without you and I don’t know how I’ll go on,” Kaitlyn wrote. “I’m grateful that you gave me Mady, Jane, and Dad…we’ll always have each other to lean on because of you.”

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Kathy was “the greatest mom and wife anyone could ever ever ask for,” according to Kaitlyn. “Thank you for fighting so hard for us for so long,” she added. “I am forever, forever, grateful for the special time we got to spend with you, sweet mama…it will never be enough.”

Kaitlyn concluded: “I miss your smile, your sense of humor, your hugs, your kisses, getting to hold your hand, more than anything in the world. You made everything better. My sweetest, beautiful girl. My best friend. Oh how much I love you. What a gift it is to love you. I love you forever and ever, Mom. ❤️.”

Friends and fans expressed their condolences in the comments section, including Kaitlyn’s Booksmart costar Beanie Feldstein, who wrote, “I love you and your family with every ounce of my soul, my pup.”

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Riley Keough added, “Lots of love to you and your family ❤️,” while Maude Apatow wrote, “Sending you so much love ❤️ I’m so sorry.”

Kathy was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 39. Kaitlyn detailed her mom’s “terrifying” health battle in an October 2020 Instagram post. “Some days are so so scary that I don’t even know how to feel anymore, and other days she has a positive appointment and then it’s a gooood day❤️,” she wrote at the time. “Every day is different and we’ve gotten through it together as a family. She is the strongest woman I know and every day I am grateful for the doctors that have taken such good care of her over the years.”

Kaitlyn’s message was written during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “Cancer is so unbearably scary,” she added at the time. “I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to live with this disease but I do know what it’s like to watch someone you love go through the pain. My heart is with anyone [who] has to deal with the burden that is cancer. Let’s get checked and encourage those we love to get checked as well.”