Director Zack Snyder recently paid tribute to his late daughter, Autumn, on the anniversary of her death by suicide in 2017. Snyder, who was 20 years old at the time of her passing, shared a photograph of Autumn with Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel via Instagram.
"A father’s love for his daughter never ends, even when her time here does," Snyder wrote in his tribute. "There are no words to describe the heartbreak of losing a child or the emptiness that lasts a lifetime. The years may pass, but the love, the memories, and the longing to have her here with us never fade."
Snyder encouraged his followers to support a suicide prevention walk in Autumn's memory, directing them to a link for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. "If you are able, please consider making a donation to support us as we walk to honor Autumn this Saturday. These donations, no matter how small, help fund life-saving research, suicide prevention education, and support for families who know the unimaginable heartbreak of losing someone they love," he stated.
The director and his family will participate in the "Out of the Darkness" walk as Team Ironwill in Pasadena, California. So far, the team has raised over $11,000, significantly exceeding their $500 goal. A description on the donation site explains that the family walks to honor Autumn and to help other families avoid the pain of losing a loved one to suicide, aiming to raise awareness and end the stigma surrounding mental health.
In May 2017, two months after Autumn's death, Snyder announced he was stepping down as director of Justice League. He explained at the time that the demands of the job were all-consuming and that he needed to step back to be with his family, who were all struggling with the loss.
Autumn was one of Snyder's four children from his first marriage. He also has two children from another relationship, and he and his current wife, Deborah Snyder, have adopted two children. Deborah Snyder, who produced Justice League, also stepped back from the project following Autumn's death. Joss Whedon ultimately took over directing duties for the film.