Former Disney Animator Creates Touching Illustrations to Mourn Wife’s Death
The illustrations depict his journey raising two kids on his own.
Last October, former Disney animator Gary Andrews tragically lost his wife Joy to sepsis ⏤ a condition where the body attacks itself inorder to fend off infection⏤ while away on a business trip. To help cope with the emotional trauma, Gary turned to what he knows best: drawing. The animator has been creating an ongoing series of illustrations that pay tribute to his late wife, as well as depict his journey raising two children, Lily, 10, and Ben, 7, on his own. Gary began sharing his drawings on Twitter, and they have quickly gained a following from people who admire the animator’s honesty, strength, and love for his family.
The drawings show the ups and downs of life since his wife’s unexpected passing (she entered the hospital with flu-like symptoms and died of organ failure), such as dealing with the “grief rollercoaster.”
Gary doesn’t pull any punches with his illustrations, showing the tough moments he has faced with his kids and their questions about life and death.
And something as simple as a bed can bring him tremendous pain and reopen the floodgates of his grief.
He is also honest about his own struggles and shortcomings, admitting that raising two kids without his “soul mate” can be overwhelming at times.
And he knows that sometimes the best thing he can do is just hold his kids and cry.
But, at the end of the day, the love he feels for his kids keeps him going even through the toughest of times.
And Gary knows that together, they are all going to get through this.
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