Daveigh Chase's father, John Schwallier, paid a heartbreaking tribute to his late daughter on what would have been her 36th birthday on Friday, July 24.
The Ring actress died on June 16, 2026, but not a day goes by that her dad doesn't think about her since her tragic passing.
"Every day I am thinking about her constantly," he told the Daily Mail. "The sad part is the only pictures I have of [Daveigh] is what I've printed on the internet… She was taken from this life way too early."
He somberly added: "I just want to wish her a happy birthday today and [tell her] that she is on my mind every day."
The former child star had been living out of the public eye for the better part of a decade and had battled addiction. She reportedly lived near Los Angeles' infamous Skid Row.
Her death was announced by her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, who revealed Daveigh died following a battle with meningitis and "several serious blood infections" that led to sepsis.
Daveigh Chase's cause of death
© WireImageHowever, it was later confirmed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner that the actress died of "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" (AIDS).
"Chronic Polysubstance Use" was listed as a secondary cause, which can usually indicate a battle with substance abuse or, in some cases, an intentional overdose.
Following the report, Daveigh's dad said that her cause of death "doesn't surprise," adding in an interview with The Post: "It is what it is… It's something you sometimes have to expect with the lifestyle she was living."
Daveigh's Hollywood career
© DreamworksAfter her breakout role in the 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko and lending her voice to Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away that same year, Daveigh experienced major box office success when she was cast as the iconic Samara in the 2002 horror film The Ring.
That was followed by her being cast as the voice of Lilo Pelekai in Disney's Lilo & Stitch in 2002, which was another huge success. She voiced the character for several more projects in the franchise.
As she grew older, she transitioned to more mature roles such as in the show Big Love from 2006 to 2011, and her final film roles in 2016's Jack Goes Home and American Romance.
Daveigh's six-figure estate
© Getty ImagesProbate filings submitted to Los Angeles County Superior Court on July 8 estimate that the late actress left behind approximately $400,000 in personal property and no real estate.
According to the documents, Daveigh died without a will, prompting her mother, Cathy Chase, to petition the court to be appointed administrator of her daughter's estate.
The filing also requests permission for Cathy to administer the estate under California's Independent Administration of Estates Act and seeks approval of a $400,000 bond. A probate hearing has been scheduled for August 12 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
