Patrick Stewart and the Power of Kindness

I just found out that Sir Patrick Stewart has passed away, and this one really makes me sad.

BUT I have a confession. I've never watched Star Trek, and I've only seen a few X-Men movies…

So my admiration for him had very little to do with Captain Picard or Professor X.

It was the person he was outside of acting.

There's a video from Comicpalooza in 2013 that has stayed with me for years. A woman named Heather thanked him for speaking out against domestic violence, and he shared his own childhood experiences of witnessing his father abuse his mother.

But what moved me most was how he connected with her.

He listened. He checked whether she was okay. He offered her a hug.

As an abuse survivor myself, that moment meant a great deal to me. Being believed, listened to and treated with kindness is something you don't forget.

Then there's his friendship with Sir Ian McKellen.

Two legendary Shakespearean actors behaving like a couple of mischievous schoolboys. The photos, the jokes, the hugs, the genuine affection. I loved everything about their friendship.

I also cannot forget Ginger, the rescue pit bull he and his wife fostered.

Watching this well-mannered British actor completely melt over a dog was so cute.

What I loved about Patrick Stewart was that he wasn't afraid to be emotional, affectionate, vulnerable or immature.

He could speak about domestic violence, be silly with his best friend, and turn into an absolute softie around a rescue dog.

I wish we celebrated those qualities in people more often.

Today, I came across a YouTube comment under an interview with Matthew Perry's sister about Matthew's death. Someone questioned why people should care about the death of a wealthy celebrity when we have more important problems in the world.

And I thought, why can't we be sad about multiple things?

We can have our own struggles, worry about what's happening in the world, and still feel sad when someone dies.

One doesn't cancel out the other.

Being famous or wealthy doesn't make someone less human.

Grief isn't a competition, and neither is empathy.

We talk so much about people's achievements, careers and success. But sometimes what matters most is how they make others feel.

And that's what I'll remember about Patrick Stewart.

His kindness. His compassion. His willingness to show emotion in a world that often treats vulnerability as weakness.

I never needed to watch Star Trek to admire him.

His humanity was more than enough.

Rest in peace, Sir Patrick. ❤️

#PatrickStewart #Kindness #DomesticViolenceAwareness