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In a heartbreaking development, Mercedes, 33, and Jack, 29, the children of beloved “Top Gun” actor Val Kilmer, have issued a statement expressing their desire to process their loss privately.

The siblings shared their gratitude with People magazine for the outpouring of support in celebrating their father’s memory, stating they were “so … honored to see his legacy celebrated.”

The somber news of Kilmer’s passing was initially revealed by Mercedes to the New York Times on Tuesday, attributing her father’s death to complications from pneumonia.

Following the announcement, Mercedes was seen receiving comfort from her mother, Joanne Whalley, in West Hollywood. Whalley, 63, and Kilmer’s relationship resulted in two children during their eight-year marriage from 1988 to 1996, with Mercedes born in 1991 and Jack arriving in 1995.

According to TMZ sources, the siblings are currently orchestrating their father’s funeral arrangements. The outlet also disclosed that Kilmer had been hospitalized earlier this year, though the specific circumstances remain undisclosed.

Insiders revealed that the acclaimed actor had been struggling with limited energy and was largely confined to bed in recent years, following his battle with throat cancer. Although the Grammy nominee had received his diagnosis in 2014 and was cancer-free when he passed, the necessary tracheotomies during his treatment had left him unable to speak.

Technology played a crucial role in enabling Kilmer’s appearance in the 2022 film “Top Gun: Maverick,” with artificial intelligence helping to recreate his voice.

Tom Cruise, his longtime co-star, responded to the news on Thursday, remembering Kilmer as a “dear friend.”