Paul Christian Ocampo

Anne Curtis remembers late father James on his birth anniversary: 'Missing him with all of my heart'

Article (news)

Nikka Avegail Sabio

Push Team

<p><em>It’s Showtime</em> host and actress Anne Curtis took to social media on February 26 to honor her late father, James Ernest Curtis-Smith, on his birth anniversary.</p><p>On Instagram, Anne shared a heartfelt message expressing how much she misses her father, who passed away in January.</p><p>“Happy birthday to my Father Dearest. Missing him with all of my heart. 🥀.” Anne wrote.</p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVNQun5ilev/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A54115.79999999702%2C%22ls%22%3A53963.59999999404%2C%22le%22%3A53966.09999999404%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="612" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong> </strong></div><p>The Kapamilya star reflected on the thought of how her father might be celebrating in heaven.</p><p>“I can’t help but ponder what it must be like up in heaven? If today, the angels celebrate him too, I hope they let him have a glass of wine 🥹 I know somewhere amongst the clouds and stars is where he sits and that’s where I’ll raise my glass to 🧚🏼‍♂️,” she added.</p><p>Anne’s post included old photos of her father, with one showing him cutting what appeared to be a birthday cake, and another capturing a tender moment as he hugged her daughter, Dahlia.</p><p>Last month, Anne released a joint statement confirming her father’s passing. While the cause of death has not been disclosed by the family, she emphasized that he passed away peacefully. Anne, along with her sister Jasmine Curtis-Smith and their family, flew to Australia for the funeral.</p><p>In an earlier tribute, Anne bid farewell to her father with an emotional message: “Left Australia with a heavy heart, yet in my memories, we’ll never part dad. ‘I’ll see you when I see you,’ my huckleberry friend, my gentle giant, my father dearest —always, until then. 🕊️….. The grief comes in waves. The pain may pass (occasionally popping in to say hi) but remembering the special little moments I had with Dad is something I’ll always do. 🤍.”</p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DTjV8v0Af6A/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A54123.09999999404%2C%22ls%22%3A53963.59999999404%2C%22le%22%3A53966.09999999404%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="612" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong> </strong></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/1/8/anne-curtis-s-mom-carmen-pays-tribute-to-ex-partner-james-curtis-smith-2316" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Anne Curtis’s mom Carmen pays tribute to ex-partner James Curtis-Smith: &#x27;Thank you for the gift of our children&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>In a recent interview with Boy Abunda, Anne opened up about learning to live with the loss and how she has been coping with the support of her family, especially her daughter.</p><p>“To everyone that reached out to us, I’m sorry if we never got back right away. You know...how hard being in that bubble is. Sometimes, you don’t read messages, you don’t read your emails,” she said.</p><p>“I’ve said this, but the grief really comes in waves. One day I’m okay and then the next thing Dahlia will say is ‘I miss grand dad’ and I’m just like a mess. It comes in waves, but you know, each day as you’ve said, Tito Boy, it never actually [goes away],” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/2/6/anne-curtis-talks-about-grief-following-her-father-s-passing-the-grief-really-comes-in-waves-1647" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Anne Curtis talks about grief following her father’s passing: ‘The grief really comes in waves’</strong></a></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DTPe2ojDFsZ/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A54129.69999998808%2C%22ls%22%3A53963.59999999404%2C%22le%22%3A53966.09999999404%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="567" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div> </div><p>Anne also recalled a vulnerable moment with her daughter that brought her comfort amid the pain.</p><p>“Even Dahlia told me when I had my little breakdown in front of her — she was shocked — but she said, ‘You know Mama, just think that grand dad is a cloud in front of you,” she shared. “So now when I look at the clouds it’s something like I always remember my dad.”</p>