“I’ve never known anyone so consciously spread happiness”
Actor Damian Lewis has shared a moving tribute to his wife Helen McCrory, who tragically passed away at the age of 52 following her battle with cancer.
After sharing the news in a Twitter post on Friday, Lewis has written an emotional tribute to his wife in the Sunday Times, describing the much-loved actress as “the meteor in our life.”
Lewis wrote that to many friends and family McCrory was affectionately known as ‘Dame Helen’ and was “royalty in her own right.”
— Damian Lewis (@lewis_damian) April 16, 2021
Since McCrory’s passing was announced on Friday, tributes have poured in from across the world of acting, highlighting how well-respected and admired McCrory was. Best known for her role as Aunt Polly in Peaky Blinders, McCrory was an acclaimed star of theatre as well, and also featured in the Harry Potter films and James Bond blockbuster Skyfall.
Her husband wrote in the publication that as many reflected on McCrory’s acting career, she was “an even more brilliant person than she was actress.”
“She was a people person, sure,” he wrote. “I’ve never known anyone so consciously spread happiness.”
The Homeland star goes on to write that his wife had helped the family “normalise” her death, telling the couple’s two children, Manon, 14, and Gulliver, 13, not to be sad because she had lived “the life she wanted to.”
Lewis wrote: “As she said repeatedly to the children, ‘Don’t be sad, because even though I’m about to snuff it, I’ve lived the life I wanted to.'”
According to Lewis, McCrory remained kind and generous even in her final days.
He said: “Even when dying in her last few days, when talking to our wonderful carers, she repeatedly said, “thank you so much” in her half-delirious state.”
Lewis said that he had never known anyone to “enjoy life so much” and that while she had left their children “too early,” she had prepared them for the rest of their life.
She apparently told her husband that she wanted him to have “lots of girlfriends,” but did ask that he wait until the funeral over before snogging anyone, demonstrating her humour right until the end.
The 50-year-old said that in McCrory’s final months, his wife shone more brightly “than you would imagine even the brightest star could shine.”
Lewis writes: “She’s shown no fear, no bitterness, no self-pity, only armed us with the courage to go on and insisted that no one be sad, because she is happy.
“I’m staggered by her.
“She’s been a meteor in our life.”
The couple had been married since 2007.
