Mandy Moore is celebrating and giving tribute to her father, "Captain Don," who has flown his last trip as a pilot for American Airlines on Monday, December 6. Capt. Donald Moore is retiring from his job after 42 years.
Mandy shared a post on Instagram that her father will take on his mandatory retirement at age 65 after spending two-thirds of his life as a pilot. In between his job, Don also raised three kids who are very proud of his passion for his work.
Mandy shared photos of herself and her dad in the cockpit and an old photo of Don as a baby. The actress said that she could not wait for her father to spend "unfiltered grandpa time" with her son, August, who was born in February 2021.
American Airlines boss Peter Blandino also sent his heartfelt acknowledgment to Don, who his colleagues described as an outstanding pilot. The American Airlines social media pages also congratulated Don for his years of service.
Mandy Moore's Family Life
In 2019, Mandy shared photos of her first visit to her dad at work when he celebrated 40 years with his company on a trip from London to Los Angeles. She revealed that it's the first time she's flying with her dad in the cockpit with her stepmother serving as the flight attendant. In a statement, Ross Feinstein of American Airlines said that they are very proud to have Captain Don and Mandy's stepmother in their company.
The "This is Us" actress witnessed her parents' divorce when she was 23 years old after her mother, Stacy, outed herself with her relationship with a woman. In an interview with E! News, Mandy said that she discovered her mother's secret when she was helping set up her new computer and found the email she drafted to tell her kids about leaving their dad.
Though devastated, Mandy embraced her mother's choices and said that they love each other unconditionally in her family. Her father also remarried and has a happy life with Mandy's stepmother.
The actress' two brothers, Scott and Kyle, have also come out as gay. Mandy told People in 2017 that no one has any other secrets in their family because they are happier when they are their authentic selves.
The actress said that she feels very protective of her family because of the intolerance against the LGBTQ community. As an actress, Moore said that she wants to use her platform to have an open dialogue about people's sexual preferences or orientations.
Protective of Her Son, Too
As much as she is protective of her parents and brothers, Mandy will also not tolerate the paparazzi who follow her and her son around town. The actress recently called out a celebrity photographer who interrupted her Sunday walk with Gus, her only child with her husband, Taylor Goldsmith.
Mandy said this particular paparazzi has been harassing her family since she was pregnant. She said that there's a reason she and her husband decided to live in the quiet part of the city to be away from the paparazzi. The actress reiterated that the photographers are not invited to tag along with their personal activities.
