Nia Vardalos of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' Fame Couldn't Fly Home for Her Father's Funeral Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Nia Vardalos took a hard hit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The actress was absent from her father's funeral following the travel ban restricting flights between the United States and the U.K.

Amid the global coronavirus outbreak, American actress and producer, Nia Vardalos honored her late father by promoting charitable deeds after missing out on his final days.

The 57-year-old lost her father, Constantine, on March 12, at age 87, with his funeral rites taking place about a week later. However, the actress was unable to show up for the ceremony.

During an interview, the mother of one explained how the ongoing travel restriction between the U.S. and U.K. prevented her from making it to her hometown in Winnipeg, Canada.

Admittedly, her last meeting with her late dad was at Christmas, before her return to the U.K. Since then, their communications were restricted to phone calls and facetime. Speaking on their final farewells, she said:

"They held up the phone to him, and I got to thank him for an incredible life and tell him he was a gentleman, and he was a great dad."

Having missed out on sharing her father's last moments, the producer has set out on a mission to dedicate her time to something the deceased 87-year-old loved, as a means of honoring him.

The grieving actress has taken to fundraising via the #bigfatdonation while utilizing social media platforms to implore others to join the train and contribute their quota by donating to not-for-profits.

Her dad strived to keep people safe, even in his last moments.

The charity organizations, including the deceased's church, are set to reach out to the world, sponsoring several outreaches for the elderly, and make available gloves, face masks, and other protective coverings in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.

According to Nia, her dad strived to keep people safe even in his last moments as he held out until safety measures were in place against the spread of Covid-19 before he passed. She explained:

"If he had gone 14 days ago when they weren't acknowledging the global threat, we all would have gathered, and it could have brought down the city."

This comes days after the mother of one announced the death of her father via a heartfelt Instagram post, alongside a family photo of the Vardalos. The photo showed the late Constantine sporting a charming smile as he sat surrounded by the rest of the clan.

Via her caption, the icon reflected on the deceased's impeccable exemplary life while on earth before concluding with a note of how proud he was of his kids, and how he was now resting in heaven

Nia's father undoubtedly served as an inspiration to many while alive, and the actress is determined to uphold his legacy.

We at AmoMama do our best to give you the most updated news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, but the situation is constantly changing. We encourage readers to refer to the online updates from CDC, WHO, or Local Health Departments to stay updated. Take care!