Sarah Jessica Parker was the honoree at a New York City Ballet gala Wednesday night, but the Sex and the City star was not in attendance. She had to miss the event at the last moment for a family emergency. Her family later announced the sudden death of her stepfather, Paul Giffin Forste, Thursday. Forste, who married Parker’s mother Barbara in 1969, was 76.
“Our family is sad to announce that after an unexpected and rapid illness, Paul Giffin Forste passed away yesterday at age 76,” the Parker family said in a statement to PEOPLE Thursday. “In his last moments, he was surrounded with the love and gratitude of his adored wife Barbara of 54 years, and children, including Sarah Jessica Parker. Paul will be remembered with the spirit of loving kindness which was his faith, his special delight in his 13 grandchildren, and his sustained belief in making the world a more charitable, tolerant, and beautiful place for all.”
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Parker, 57, was scheduled to attend the New York City Ballet’s 10th Annual Fall Fashion Gala Wednesday night at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. A source at the event told Page Sixย she arrived at the venue but left a short time later. During the event, organizers announced that Parker could not attend because of a “sudden devastating family situation.”
The Hocus Pocus 2 star serves as the vice chair of the New York City Ballet‘s Board of Directors. She also helped create the Fall Fashion Gala, which launched in 2012. Since then, the event has raised over $24 million for the ballet. Earlier this week, Parker attended the Hocus Pocus 2 premiere with her husband, Matthew Broderick, and their twin daughters, 13-year-old Maron and Tabitha. They are also parents to a son, James, 19.
Parker also started work on And Just Like That… Season 2 last week. The Sex and the City spinoffย will return on HBO Max and is set to bring back another fan-favorite character from the show. John Corbett is set to play Aidan Shaw, one of Carrie Bradshaw’s exes, again. HBO Max has not announced a release date for the new season. Meanwhile, Hocus Pocus 2 will be released on Disney+ on Friday. The new movie features Bette Midler, Parker, and Kathy Najimy reprising their roles from the original 1993 film.
