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Bradley Cooper and his father, Charlie Cooper, had a very close relationship, and losing his father may have been the most difficult thing he went through.
The 50-year-old actor stated that "My dad was somebody I idolised," and that he lost him in 2011 at the age of 71 after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
In the new PBS documentary, Caregiving, which he also executive produces, the actor stated, "I used to dress up like him when I was a kid in kindergarten and get made fun of because I wanted to wear a little suit and tie,"
Cooper also discussed in the documentary his traumatic experience of witnessing his stockbroker father deteriorate until he required hospice care.
"Like most people, I didn't even think about caregiving until my dad was diagnosed," he admits in the video.
Cooper added that the documentary was intended to give honor to the labor of often-overlooked heroes who go above and beyond to care for their loved ones.
"To go from [dressing up like him] to giving him a bath is quite a traumatic thing ... he was at a point where he needed a lot of care," the actor recounted. He added, "I was lucky enough that I was able to be there for him, and I certainly also benefited from the help we got."
The documentary honors the efforts of these caretakers, with Rosalynn Carter noting, "There are only four types of individuals in the world. Those who have served as caretakers. Current caretakers. Those who will be caretakers. "And those who will require caregiving."
