Getty Treat Williams.
Longtime actor and prolific Hallmark Channel star Treat Williams died June 12 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in Vermont, according to state police.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Pam Van Sant, and their two children, Gill and Ellie, according to People. On June 14, Ellie spoke out about her father’s death on her Instagram account.
Ellie Williams Said She Was ‘Absolutely Shattered’ by Her Father’s Death
In a series of Instagram Stories, Ellie posted first a photo of a satin jacket with her father’s name embroidered on it, then she posted a picture of her parents together where her mom is leaning her head on her dad’s shoulder and she wrote:
This is a pain I have never felt. I am absolutely shattered. Thank you to everyone who has sent messages and kept our family in your hearts during this terrible heartbreak.
She also linked to the New York Times obituary for her dad, writing, “The New York Times wrote a wonderful article about my dad and his incredible life.” And finally, Ellie posted a photo of their home in Vermont and simply wrote, “We’re home, dad.”
Williams and his wife lived near Dorset, Vermont, and Ellie and her dog Nash live in Los Angeles, according to People. Based on her and her father’s Instagram accounts, they appeared to be a tight-knit family.
Just 10 days ago, one of Williams’ last Instagram posts was a photo of his daughter simply captioned, “I miss you, daughter,” to which she replied in the comments, “Thanks dad, I love you.”
And on Mother’s Day in mid-May 2023, Williams posted a photo of their family from when the kids were young and wrote, “Thank you, Pam for raising these wonderful humans into the great people they are today. Happy Mother’s Day.”
Gill Williams is not very active on social media, but on his birthday in 2021, Ellie posted a photo of him to her Instagram and wrote a message celebrating her brother.
“Gill, where do I begin? Growing up, I was constantly in awe of you and never forgot how lucky I am to have you as my brother. You showed and continue to show me what it’s like to live a good and happy life. You are hilarious and always make me laugh until I cry,” wrote Ellie, adding, “There are no amount of words to express the gratitude and absolute love that I have for you. You made me who I am today, and I can’t wait to live next door to each other when we’re old and grey. I love you so much, Gilly! Thanks for being my big brother.”
Gill is 31 and Ellie is 24, according to People.
Williams’ Family Also Released a Statement When He Died
Via multiple news outlets, including Deadline, Williams’ family released a statement after his death, telling his fans that Williams was always so appreciative of them.
The statement reads:
It is with great sadness that we report that our beloved Treat Williams has passed away tonight in Dorset, Vermont after a fatal motorcycle accident. As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time.
Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it. It is all so shocking right now, but please know that Treat was dearly and deeply loved and respected by his family and everyone who knew him.
We are beyond devastated and ask that you respect our privacy as we deal with our grief. To all his fans, please know that Treat appreciated all of you and please continue to keep him in your hearts and prayers.
The Williams Family
Tributes from across Hollywood have been pouring in for Williams, from his Hallmark costars to people who only worked with him once, like actor Wendell Pierce.
The two were in the 2016 HBO film “Confirmation” together and Pierce wrote on Twitter when he learned of Williams’ death, “Treat Williams was a passionate, adventurous, creative man. In a short period of time, he quickly befriended me & his adventurous spirit was infectious. We worked on just 1 film together but occasionally connected over the years. Kind and generous with advice and support. RIP.”