George Clooney is mourning the loss of his sister, Adelia “Ada” Zeidler, sharing a heartfelt message following her death.
“My sister, Ada, was my hero,” the Ocean’s Eleven actor told People on Saturday.
“She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I’ve never met anyone so brave,” he added, going on to include his wife in the mourning. “Amal and I will miss her terribly.”
People confirmed that Clooney’s older sister passed away Friday at the age of 65.
According to an obituary, Zeidler was born in Los Angeles in 1960 and later lived in Augusta, Ky. It noted that she “died peacefully surrounded by the people she loved” while in a medical facility.
She is survived by her parents, Nick and Nina Bruce Clooney; her children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga; her husband, Kenny; her brother George and his wife Amal Clooney; along with “several uncles, aunts, and cousins,” the obituary stated.
Zeidler was previously married to Norman Zeidler, who died in 2004.
A former elementary school art teacher, Zeidler was also a high school National Merit Scholar with a love of reading. She spent her childhood growing up in Augusta alongside her younger brother.
Family ties were on full display at her 1987 wedding to Norman, where her aunt, legendary singer Rosemary Clooney, performed and George read scripture, according to People.
A memorial service honoring Zeidler is scheduled for Monday.
While she largely stayed out of the spotlight, Zeidler did attend George Clooney’s high-profile 2014 wedding to human rights attorney Amal in Venice, Italy. Photos from the celebration showed her seated next to the actor, then 64, as they traveled by boat during the festivities. She wore a silver, beaded gown with sheer sleeves for the glamorous occasion.
In a 2012 interview with the Daily News, Zeidler joked about being so protective of her brother that she didn’t even keep his phone number.
“I wouldn’t want to have it in my phone and then lose my phone,” she said at the time, via the Columbus Dispatch. “He can phone me, and he does occasionally, but email is more convenient for both of us.”
Clooney has previously spoken about how close the siblings were. “My sister, I’m very close to,” he told “CBS This Morning” in 2015.
Rest in Peace, Adelia “Ada” Zeidler.