DUBAI: Award-winning Palestinian poet and writer Mosab Abu Toha has paid tribute to Chris Affleck, the mother of actors Ben and Casey Affleck, following news of her death, remembering her as “like a mother” to his family during their time living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was 83 and had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December.
In an emotional social media post, Abu Toha said he, his wife Maram, and their children were “immensely heartbroken” by her passing. “Chris was far more than a friend,” he wrote. “She was like a mother to me and Maram, and a grandmother to our two, and later three, children during the time we lived in Cambridge between 2019 and 2020.”
Abu Toha recalled how Chris welcomed the family while they were far from home, taking their children to the Children’s Museum, accompanying Maram to the Cambridge Public Library as she learned English, and making sure they “never felt alone.” He also reflected on the support she offered after the birth of their son, Mostafa, in May 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Chris brought us meals, comfort, and the kind of love only family gives,” he wrote.
While many knew Chris as the mother of the Oscar-winning actors, Abu Toha said she was also “one of the most steadfast advocates for Palestine.” He recalled her visiting the family during the pandemic with a “Free Gaza” poster displayed on her car, describing her as someone whose solidarity never wavered.
According to Abu Toha, Chris remained a constant source of encouragement whenever he returned to Cambridge or Boston for readings and public events. “She always greeted us with tears, warm encouragement, and thoughtful gifts for our children,” he wrote, adding that they last saw each other after his reading at Harvard in February 2025.
He also shared a memory from May 2023, when he gave Chris a necklace and ring embroidered by his sister-in-law, who remains in Gaza. “Chris was overjoyed and immediately put them on,” he wrote. “We will miss you dearly, Chris. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, and your unwavering solidarity. May you rest in peace.”
