Sir Patrick Stewart's widow, Sunny Ozell, has spoken publicly for the first time since the actor's death at the age of 86, saying the couple left "nothing unsaid" and that her grief continues to come in waves.
The Star Trek and X-Men star died last month following a short battle with Alzheimer's disease, at his home in Los Angeles, with Ozell at his side. Two weeks on, the 47-year-old musician shared a black-and-white photograph of the pair with their arms wrapped around one another on Instagram.
'The grief continues to come in waves'
In her post, Ozell wrote: "Today marks two weeks since Patrick passed, and the grief continues to come in waves. But I've also been experiencing such deep, profound gratitude."
She added: "We left nothing unsaid. He knew I loved him, and I know he loved me. Patrick and I truly, authentically saw one another, and we amplified each other's best qualities. We shared nearly two decades together, and we filled those years with so much *living*. I've been overwhelmed by the public response to Patrick's death, and while I'm not at all surprised that he touched so many, I'm sincerely moved by the outpouring of sadness and loss."
Ozell concluded: "Thank you all for your condolences; they mean so, so much to me. My heart had to grow to contain my love for Patrick, and he changed me for the better, forever."
Public response and tributes
The upload, which has been liked more than 41,000 times, drew a flood of supportive comments. One person wrote: "I listened to his autobiography on Audible a couple of years ago. When he got to the part of the story about you, his entire tone changed. You could hear him smile. I am so sorry for your immense loss."
Another wrote: "So many of us out here never met him, yet mourn that he is no longer here. I can't begin to imagine your loss...but how blessed we all are, in our big or small ways, to have felt his influence. Sending love to you." A third comment read: "We love you."
Confirming Sir Patrick's death, his long-term spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, said: "He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all. We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace."
His death prompted tributes from fellow actors and the Prime Minister. Sir Patrick's close friend, Sir Ian McKellen, praised the late star, who was "defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire." "You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt," Sir Ian said on social media. He recalled a conversation in which Patrick questioned whether he wanted to "risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years", adding: "Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences."
Sir Patrick is survived by his widow, Sunny, and his two children, Daniel and Sophie Stewart, from his first marriage to Sheila Falconer.
