Grace VanderWaal and Tina VanderWaal (Image via Instagram/@gracevanderwaal)
Tina VanderWaal, the mother of America’s Got Talent winner Grace VanderWaal, passed away on October 20 after a 17-month battle with breast cancer. Her husband, Dave VanderWaal, shared the news in a heartfelt Facebook post dated October 21.
"Remembering the beautiful life and love of our amazing Tina 💖 It’s hard to find the words to adequately express our family sorrow, but I want to share the sad news that our beloved Tina VanderWaal — 'Superwife' and Mother 'extraordinaire' — passed over to the Lord’s hands last night, October 20. She was a fighter to the end of her long, 17-month battle with cancer, always finding a positive outlook no matter what — for herself and, even more importantly, for others facing the same difficult journey," he wrote.
Dave described their 27-year marriage and the three children they raised together: Jacob, Olivia, and Grace. He reflected on Tina’s impact on their family, highlighting her role as the heart of their home.
"Tina truly was the heart of our family, filling our lives with creativity, laughter, and love. Whether she was designing beautiful jewelry, teaching others to discover their creative spirit, or making every holiday and family moment special, she brought light and joy to everything she touched," he added.
He continued:
"While our hearts ache, I take comfort in knowing that Tina is now in Heaven — her bright, shining light still guiding us. I know we’ll see her again one day. Until then, we’ll hold tight to the love, joy, and beauty she gave us. She was a laser beam of light to all who knew her. Holding Tina’s beam of light in our hearts always, Dave, Jakob, Olivia, and Grace."
According to his LinkedIn profile, Dave VanderWaal works as a senior marketing consultant at VW Marketing Consultants. He has a strong background in marketing and holds a Bachelor of Science, Marketing, Advertising, and a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) in Marketing from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Meanwhile, according to Tina's Instagram bio, she was a "silversmith and glass artist living on a beautiful barrier island off the coast of South Carolina." She was open about her cancer journey on social media, sharing updates and reflections along the way.
In one recent post, she shared a video showing she had completed her second radiation treatment. "Radiation 2 done… 8 more to go! #thepoweroflove," she captioned the post.
On a fundraising page called Pledge The Pink Fundraising, she revealed she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in June 2024.
Grace VanderWaal expressed her grief on social media, writing, "Can’t yet find the words. I love you mommy. So much. I wake up and want to call you. I don’t know how to move forward without you. I love you."
In an essay published in Teen Vogue on April 8, 2025, Grace praised her mother, describing her as the "funniest, most loudest, most just everything woman. You'll hear her laugh watching the TV from three floors up."
"As I was experiencing this early success, this viral fame, I felt like I was in control, but there are a lot of environmental variables that people don’t take into account. My mom was with me everywhere I went," Grace added.
Stay tuned for more updates.
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