The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” has proven true for Hallmark actor John Reardon, who has shared a photograph on social media, taken by his young son, that holds an incredible amount of meaning for him.
“My seven year old son started making short films with his own camera a couple years ago,” Reardon, 49, told his followers on February 28, 2025. “The other day he said ‘Dad – I want to take a really nice photo of you’ and I said let’s do it!”
Reardon, who stars in the Canadian TV show “Hudson & Rex,” posted the Instagram image of himself smiling and wrote that it “has fast become my favorite photo of myself.” Not only because it was taken by his eldest son, whom he shares with fellow Hallmark star Meghan Ory, but because it marked a watershed moment in his recent battle with tonsil cancer.
John Reardon Says He Has ‘Limitless Appreciation’ for Those Who Helped Him Through Cancer Journey
Noting that he loved his son’s photo “because my smile is real,” Reardon told his followers, “This is one of the first photos of me after I had finished my treatment and now I am cancer free.”
“I’m back to work, back to playing sports and most importantly back to making short films with my son,” he continued. “I feel limitless appreciation for all my family and friends. All my doctors and everyone who sent me well wishes and kindness.”
Reardon disclosed his cancer battle on Christmas Eve 2024, sharing the news in a joint social media post with Ory that featured two photos — one of him looking strong and healthy from the previous night and another of him undergoing treatment. Reardon noted that it had “been a long road between these two pictures and the difference is from the love and support I received from my people in my life.”
“I’m made of tough stuff,” Reardon wrote in his February 28 post, “but I’m a survivor because of my support network. Thank you to everyone who sent me stories of your own battles, or that of loved ones. Your courage is inspiring.”
“Scars are inevitable but fortunately we don’t walk through life alone,” he continued. “We all breathe the same air and look up at the same stars so we’re connected and the trip is short. Here’s to long trips and big smiles for everyone 🍀”
Ory shared a screenshot of her husband’s post in her Instagram feed and wrote, “@johnny_reardon_ you inspire me everyday. You handle every bit of adversity (of which there’s been a lot) with such grace and kindness. I love you #f—cancer forever.”
Fans and friends flooded Reardon’s touching post with encouraging comments, including director Christie Will Wolf, who oversaw Reardon and Ory’s 2024 Hallmark movie, “Believe in Christmas.” Wolf wrote, “Aweeeee❤️❤️❤️ love this post! What a photographer & what a model 🥰”
John Reardon & Meghan Ory Are Now Restoring Their 120-Year-Old Home
In addition to being healthy enough to return to work and be physically active again, Reardon is wasting no time diving into a renovation project with Ory. The couple is excited about restoring the 120-year-old Canadian home they purchased for their family of five.
On February 10, the real-life Hallmark couple shared that they’ve started a new YouTube channel and series to chronicle the renovation of their 120-year-old house as they rebuild their life together post-cancer.
We’ve been feeling very grateful for all of the support that the world has shown us over the last few months,” Ory told fans in an Instagram post about their new venture, “and we wanted to do something that could hopefully bring some laughs and joy into your homes, after you brought so much joy into ours.”
Since Reardon and Ory have portrayed characters from many different professions over the years, they decided to name their YouTube series “I Play One on TV. They’ve joked that they’ll never meet the standards of real DIY professionals but will depend on contractor Guff Thompson and other crew members to help them through the process, filming their progress throughout.
Comments
John Reardon Celebrates Being ‘Cancer-Free’ With Touching Photo Taken by His 7-Year-Old