Nia Vardalos Had to Skip Her Dad's Funeral Because of the Global Health Crisis

My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardalos has revealed that she missed her father’s funeral this month as she was unable to fly home to Canada due to the current health crisis facing the world.

The Oscar-nominated star told Variety that the last time she saw her dad was at Christmas.

Nia got to speak to her dad via FaceTime before he passed away. She said, “They held up the phone to him and I got to thank him for an incredible life and tell him he was a gentleman and he was a great dad. My mom held his hand and said, ‘It’s okay for you to go.’”

The funeral took place on March 19 and it was live streamed online.

“I always said my dad has impeccable timing,” Nia said. She believes he waited to pass away until friends and family were unable to fly in for the funeral because of new social distancing rules.

“If he had gone 14 days ago when they weren’t acknowledging the global threat, we all would have gathered and it could have brought down the city and also we would have gone back to all our communities and could have spread something,” Nia said. “He waited until the church said they couldn’t have any more large gatherings. I think my father knew he was keeping people safe.”

Nia is now encouraging fans to donate to Big Sunday Organization in memory of her father and to use #BigFatDonation on Twitter.