Wolfgang Van Halen pens moving letter to dad one year after his death: 'Hope you're still proud'

Wolfgang Van Halen is mourning his father, Eddie Van Halen, on the first anniversary of his death.

The musician, 30, penned an emotional tribute Wednesday to the late guitarist, whose death from cancer at age 65 last year sent shockwaves through the music world

"One year. You fought so hard for so long, but you were still taken away. It’s just so unfair," Wolfgang wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the two playing the guitar together.

"I’m not ok. I don’t think I’ll ever be ok. There’s so much I wish I could show you. So many things I wish I could share with you. I wish I could laugh with you again. I wish I could hug you again. I miss you so much it hurts."

He ended the note by acknowledging that he is "trying to do my best here without you, but it’s really (expletive) hard. I hope you’re still proud."

"I love you with all of my heart, Pop. Watch over me."

RIP: Eddie Van Halen, legendary guitarist, dies of cancer at 65

Wolfgang has been carrying on his father's legacy, recently releasing the debut album of his one-man band, Mammoth WVH. He spoke about the emotional significance of the name in a June interview with USA TODAY. (Mammoth was one of the original names of Eddie and brother Alex Van Halen's band before they landed on Van Halen.)

"Oh, he loved it," he said at the time. "I was working with the intention of calling it that for like two years before I even asked Dad. I finally asked him, 'Is that OK?' And he was like, '(Expletive) yeah, that's awesome!' "

He also reflected on his father's reaction to his son following his footsteps in the music industry.

"He was just very proud," he said of his father. "He never really tried to push me one way or the other – he just let me find out who I wanted to be on my own. Both my parents were very supportive of whatever I wanted to do."

‘He was just very proud’: Wolfgang Van Halen honors legendary dad with new project Mammoth WVH

Contributing: Patrick Ryan

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eddie Van Halen: Wolfgang remembers father one year after death