
419Kviews
Disney Animator Illustrates Life With Two Children After His Wife Dies, And It Will Break Your Heart
419Kviews
Keeping a diary is a common and therapeutic habit, allowing an order to the cluttered thoughts and emotions that occur throughout our daily lives. Naturally, if you are a Disney animator, your diary can take on a visual format to become a 'doodle diary.'
This is what former Disney animation professional Gary Andrews started doing on his 54th birthday, as a happily married father-of-two, documenting the joy of family life with his beautiful wife and children. Sadly, tragedy was to strike, and Gary would become a widower and a single parent within three years.
While away on a work trip to Canada, Gary's wife Joy fell ill with what they thought was a simple flu. However, it soon became apparent that it was much more serious than that, and Gary rushed home to be near his beloved. On arrival back in the UK he received the devastating news: Joy had passed away from sepsis.
Completely shell-shocked from the sudden death of Joy, Gary struggled to find a way to respond to his overwhelming grief. He opened up his notebook and let his emotions pour out onto the pages. “I was crying so hard it was difficult to focus on the page. I was drawing through tears,” he told the Daily Mail. “Joy had been my soulmate for 19 years. She was beautiful, kind, generous and funny. We did everything together. When I lost her, I felt half of me had gone.”
Through the stages of grief, Gary continued with his doodle diary, recording the ups and downs, the good days and the bad. The process of putting his thoughts and emotions down on paper helped him to cope, by allowing him to vent his feelings. Joy is a recurring part of his doodles, and he also manages to capture the continuing happiness and fun that his children bring to his life, navigating the world of being a single parent.
Sepsis is a silent killer, and cartoonist Gary hopes to raise awareness for an illness that is often regarded as an afterthought for many doctors. Its symptoms, including fever, sickness, blotchy skin and dizziness, are often mistaken for other illnesses and not recognized until too late. If captured early on, it can be treated with simple antibiotics. Gary doesn't blame anyone for Joy's death. However, it was merely bad luck. “From the minute Joy was admitted to hospital, specialists from every department tried to find out what was wrong,' he says. “They couldn't have done more. It wasn't until the post-mortem that they narrowed it down to sepsis.”
“Blame and 'what ifs' won't bring Joy back. Would she still be alive if I hadn't been to Canada and a doctor had been called a day earlier? I can't think about things like that. What happened has happened, and you have to come to terms with it. I want to move forward, to honor Joy's memory and bring up our kids in a way she would have approved of.”
Scroll down below to see some of Gary's poignant doodles for yourself on how to deal with grief, and let us know what you think in the comments.
More info: Twitter
Shell-shocked from the sudden death of his wife, Gary struggled to find a way to respond to his overwhelming grief
He started drawing some doodles in his journal to document the daily life without his soulmate and found that expressing his emotions helped a bit
This post may include affiliate links.
This is the first time in 7 months when tears have told down my eyes... Especially this one, holding hands...
There is, it takes awhile, don't rush yourself or your children, take all the time you need. When you do start feeling happy or laugh, don't feel guilty for doing so, your wife wouldn't want you to feel guilty.
No, it isn't easy. A womens job is never done. You are in that position now. I have faith in you, you will be able to continue with your dual roles.
The star that glows the brightest and that catches our eyes when we look up,.....it is the only star that relates to our loved ones .....so we know they are looking and shining upon us
Whisky and stranger things... sounds like a good night to me... but im 14 so lets make the whiskey orange juice.
She really is amazing, isn't she? (I'm guessing she's a lot like Mum?) x
Nothing wrong with missing your gal. You could be come one of the mums now.
Omg I have been literally sobbing while reading this. You guys are so strong, I know that you will make it through this ❤️❤️
presence are comforting .....even when ppl are not around us.....we feel them , and miss them ....but we smile as we know they are here somewhere
My Mother passed away when I was 10 as well. I'm now 52 & still not over it.....
A very dear friend of mine died just a month ago. All the songs are sad right now.
stay strong brother......she is always there and always will be .......ur love and bond is pure......
the old humors are back though you're still grieving "grieving humor"
ohh stop it man...u are making me cry with all this post.....its such a beautiful feeling ur are passing to me....i never wanna lose the person that i love the most.....RIP for your wife.....she seems a kind hearted person and ur love shows in all the post......may god bless u and ur family
This was great Grief is so long it does get better but tears and that chocking feeling are never far away my grief is my son. This is a club no-one should ever join!
I had to stop reading these after the first page because I started crying in study hall. I wish you the best
me too. I'm crying at work. so emotional & powerful
I couldn't finish either, all I could think of was losing my grandfather and grandmother and my dog. It hurts but it's beautiful at the same time.
"What do you miss about her?"... And Ben said,"Everything." The heaviest word I have ever heard...
I think this is a really healthy way of dealing with this. I'm so sorry for your loss but as you've already said, "the funny does come back"
I had to stop reading these after the first page because I started crying in study hall. I wish you the best
me too. I'm crying at work. so emotional & powerful
I couldn't finish either, all I could think of was losing my grandfather and grandmother and my dog. It hurts but it's beautiful at the same time.
"What do you miss about her?"... And Ben said,"Everything." The heaviest word I have ever heard...
I think this is a really healthy way of dealing with this. I'm so sorry for your loss but as you've already said, "the funny does come back"