'Tuna breath' and death: Bradley Cooper shares memories of caring for his late father
When his father was sick, Bradley Cooper said he moved back in with his parents.
Through bathing his father and helping him use the bathroom, Cooper was a caregiver, unbeknownst to the world – and even to himself.
"I didn't ever even realize that I was one," the actor said to a room full of caregivers who could relate.
Cooper attended a screening event and panel on June 12 for his new documentary, "Caregiving" (premiering June 24 on PBS at 9 p.m. ET). Along with his daughter, Lea, other A-list caregivers united, including actress Uzo Aduba, Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis and TV journalists Deborah Roberts and Al Roker.
Cooper said he was "in awe" of the paid caregivers who helped his father when he was sick.
"When I was in the active action of caring, it was very fulfilling," Cooper said. He lived with his parents for eight months before his father died on Jan. 15, 2011. "It was the moments of solitude and quiet after where I felt scared and confused and frightened because of the role reversal, because of so many things, because of how surreal life became."
Even after 14 years, he said, he's still processing what he and his family went through in their care journey.
Bradley Cooper found humor while caring for his father
Cooper said his father died in his arms.
But just before then, while his father was in hospice, Cooper revealed his mother was concerned about something else.
Cooper said he ate a tuna sandwich earlier that day or the day before, in those final moments his father was alive.
"All my mom was worried about was my tuna breath on my father," he said, laughing.
One of the greatest gifts of caregiving, Cooper said in the film, was the time he was able to spend with his father before he died. He said he found a lot of joy in those last weeks and days.
"It's life," he said. "It's just real life."
Madeline Mitchell's role covering women and the caregiving economy at Paste BN is supported by a partnership with Pivotal Ventures and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach Madeline at memitchell@usatoday.com and @maddiemitch_ on X.