Sir Patrick Stewart’s widow, Sunny Ozell, has paid tribute to her late husband, describing their relationship as a source of “deep, profound gratitude” in her first public statement since his death.
The singer, who married the Star Trek and X-Men actor in 2013, said she was still coming to terms with her grief following his death last month, but remained thankful for the love they shared during their time together.
She wrote on Instagram: “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.
“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*.”
The 47-year-old musician has been “sincerely moved” by the public response to her husband's death, she said, and expressed gratitude to all those who shared their condolences.
She concluded: “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.
“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.”
Patrick died at the age of 86 following a brief illness involving Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Shortly after the news was made public, his estranged son, Daniel Stewart, 59, shared a poignant photograph of them together.
Daniel took to X to post a picture of himself giving his dad a piggyback ride during a 2001 production of Johnson Over Jordan at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, England.
Just three years before his death, Patrick spoke of his “significant grief” over being estranged from Daniel and daughter Sophie, 54, whom he had with his first wife, 81-year-old actress Sheila Falconer, because of putting work first.
He told the Irish Independent: “Given that I’m separated from my children now - we don’t have relationships - they have become very important.
“I never thought this would happen, but both my children are in their 50s - they’re not children anymore, they’re adults. And my relationship with them is practically non-existent.”
Patrick lamented that “not a day goes by” when he is not “pained by the memory of my children, who they were and by a sense of responsibility that they became who they are in part because of me and my influence or lack of influence on them”.
He admitted: “I always put my acting work first, before my family.
“I could’ve done better as a parent when my kids were little. I was just obsessed with my work, and everything else took second place.
“I’m trying to correct that now whenever possible with my grandchildren. And my own children seem to have forgiven me.”
After the Logan star and Sheila divorced in 1990, he married TV producer Wendy Neuss, now 72, in 2000; their marriage lasted just three years before he found love again with Sunny.
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