The Hallmark Family is really a community. In recent years, they have created a community in fandom unlike any other. How have they done that? Well, they’ve led by example, and the actors that you would call Hallmark Channel stars truly lead with a genuine heart and example.
They are there for each other in good and bad times. Hard times, too.
On a recent episode of Christmas At Sea, the Vermeer family had gone to do separate things for a bit. Kerry Vermeer had gone to get a drink when she ran into Taylor Cole. The actress was reading a book and very sweetly took the time to chat and invited Kerry to sit with her.
Kerry opened up to Taylor about the power that her social media posts have. Cole had posted about her best friend passing away from breast cancer. Kerry has recently had a mastectomy. Though only a brief part of their conversation was shown, it was very moving.
On July 25th, Cole joined fellow Hallmark stars Erin Cahill, Sarah Drew, Wes Brown, and Benjamin Ayres on a Facebook Live. The stars discussed the cruise, meeting fans, and some behind-the-scenes moments that happened. They also spoke about what it was like to be filmed for reality television.
Cole spoke of what it was like to film a movie during her best friend’s journey and how hard it was. She also spoke of what the fans’ response was, and she said, “I found the importance of, you know, sharing the difficult times.”
It was a moving live to watch, as Cole was so open and vulnerable. You could see that she was going through it, and this was hard for her. Her fellow stars could see it too and started reminding her how loved she was.
“Taylor, I really loved how you welcomed people into that vulnerability. You dressed in pink for every single event because you were like, ‘Look, I’m going to honor the reality of these hard moments in life’,” Sarah Drew said.
She then continued, “Because as much as what you were saying is true, that Hallmark is about love and connection – it’s also about how much we cling to one another in the midst of loss, right? It was such a gift to all of the people on that boat.”
Cole said that the conversation with her and Kerry happened on what would have been her best friend Nicole’s birthday.
That’s a sign, if we ever heard one ourselves. Nicole was definitely there for Cole and Kerry that day.
The season finale of Christmas at Sea airs Monday, July 28th, on Hallmark.
