Director Ava DuVernay lost her father earlier this weekend. While mourning his death she took to tweeter posting a picture of her and father with the caption reading, “My hero. My father. Murray Maye. The best man I’ve ever known. We took this picture a few years back while scouting for SELMA near his birthplace in Lowndes County, Alabama. It was a good day. We had many, many, many good days together. Blessings all. He journeyed onto the next realm this week. Out of the blue, he is no longer here. And yet, he remains. I’ll see him again when it’s my time. Until then, watch over me, Pops.”

Her caption does lead us to believe that his death was unexpected. Losing a parent is certainly difficult but DuVernay seems to have a big support system. Oprah Winfrey spoke at her father service and tweeted her love and condolences as well.