Kristoffer Polaha & Fans Rocked by Unexpected Death: ‘I Lost a Friend’

Hallmark/Heavy Kristoffer Polaha

Kristoffer Polaha and many of his fans are mourning the death of Naomi Peterson, who was instrumental in leading an online Polaha fan community. The Hallmark star wrote a touching tribute to her on Instagram, and other Polaha fans have chimed in with their own stories about Peterson and what she meant to them. Peterson died just weeks after sharing that she had cancer.

In his first Instagram Story after Peterson’s death, Polaha told his followers: “I lost a friend today,” and then shared additional Instagram Stories in tribute to her. In a later Instagram post, he opened up about how he and his family have faced multiple deaths this past year, and encouraged his followers to “love with abundance and abandon.”

Hallmark stars, friends and colleagues flooded him with support.

Hallmark alum Jill Wagner wrote: “sending you a big hug and prayers for you always.”

Fellow Hallmark star Taylor Cole replied, “Sending love and healing. 💕”

‘So Glad I Got the Chance to Know You,’ Polaha Shared

In a post on his Instagram Story, which is no longer online, Polaha shared a photo taken with Peterson and wrote: “I lost a friend today. Rest in Peace, Naomi. I’m so glad I got the chance to know you.”

In a second Instagram Story, he shared a video edit she made and wrote: “Naomi used her time to make one of these edits every week for a season.” This was the edit he shared.

Polaha spoke more about the losses he’s experienced this past year, including Peterson, in a separate post.

He wrote:

We love… which is a huge, courageous, bold act in the face of how fleeting and fragile life is. It’s huge and courageous and bold because the people we love are, simply, bound to die. This year my family has lost a parent/grandparent, two family pets, and people in our lives who held space in our hearts and the solemn reminder is this – And yet, be bold in love. Love with abundance and abandon. Love with everything you have in the time you have, which is of an unknown quantity. Love the people you love with all of your heart.

According to her obituary, Peterson had lived in Jackson, Minnesota since she was two years old. She had a degree in Crisis Counseling and was described as “passionate for life.” She volunteered at a Bible training school and with Polaha’s fan group, which the obituary described as an “international chat group that encourages and promotes Christian actor and author, Kristoffer Polaha.”

On August 2, Peterson wrote an Instagram post revealing that she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was going to get three rounds of two chemotherapy drugs for nine weeks. Polaha replied, “I am praying for you. You got this.” Peterson died nearly two weeks after making her post.

Peterson Was Instrumental in Leading a Fan Group Called ‘Polaha Chautauqua Fam on the Gram’

Polaha shared an Instagram Story from Polaha Chautauqua Fam on the Gram, an Instagram community designed to be a “space for the Polaha Chautauqua Fam to share,” according to their bio.

The post read: “As posted yesterday with the news of Naomi Peterson’s passing, Naomi contributed to this page. We took turns posting a #Polahaku of our choosing each Saturday. Naomi made this one, just this past Saturday. Choose joy today, in honor of Naomi. Thank you to everyone who has shared your pictures of Naomi with us! Please continue to do so if you would like.”

The Instagram account later shared another photo of Peterson and Polaha and wrote that it felt “weird to continue to run this account without Naomi and her input, but she loved working on it…so we will continue to do so as best we can.”

In a different post, they shared just how instrumental Peterson was to the group.

“Today we lost a dear friend and sister, and as some may have suspected, one of the admins for this page. We are all struggling to find the right words to say, but ultimately, we don’t want the day to go by without her being honored and remembered,” they wrote.

A friend of Peterson commented, “Everything just feels so so weird right now. Unanswered chats, unfulfilled plans, all of it. 💔” Another fan replied, “I will miss our chats too.”

Her funeral will be held on August 20 and live streamed online for any friends who cannot attend in person.