Latest news with #LoveLetterfromtheAfterlife


The Hindu
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Celebrated poet Andrea Gibson dies at 49
Andrea Gibson, a celebrated poet and performance artist who through their verse explored gender identity, politics and their 4-year battle with terminal ovarian cancer, died Monday (July 14, 2025) at age 49. Gibson's death was announced on social media by their wife, Megan Falley. Gibson and Falley are the main subjects of the documentary 'Come See Me in the Good Light,' winner of the Festival Favorite Award this year at the Sundance Film Festival and scheduled to air this fall on Apple TV+. 'Andrea Gibson died in their home (in Boulder, Colorado) surrounded by their wife, Meg, four ex-girlfriends, their mother and father, dozens of friends, and their three beloved dogs,' Monday's announcement reads in part. The film — exploring the couple's enduring love as Gibson battles cancer — is directed by Ryan White and includes an original song written by Gibson, Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile. During a screening at Sundance in January that left much of the audience in tears, Gibson said they didn't expect to live long enough to see the documentary. Tributes poured in Monday from friends, fans and fellow poets who said Gibson's words had changed their lives — and, in some cases, saved them. Many LGBTQ+ fans said Gibson's poetry helped them learn to love themselves. People with cancer and other terminal illnesses said Gibson made them less afraid of death by reminding them that we never really leave the ones we love. In a poem Gibson wrote shortly before they died, titled 'Love Letter from the Afterlife,' they wrote: 'Dying is the opposite of leaving. When I left my body, I did not go away. That portal of light was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I am more here than I ever was before.' Linda Williams Stay was 'awestruck' when her son, Aiden, took her to hear Gibson perform at a bar in San Francisco a decade ago. Their poetry was electrifying, lighting up the room with laughter, tears and love. Gibson's poetry became a shared interest for the mother and son, and eventually helped Stay better understand her son when he came out as transgender. 'My son this morning, when he called, we just sobbed together," Stay said. "He says, 'Mom, Andrea saved my life.'" 'I know,' she responded. Gibson's poetry later helped Stay cope with a cancer diagnosis of her own, which brought her son back home to St. George, Utah, to help take care of her. They were delighted when Gibson accepted their invitation to perform at an event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in southern Utah. 'It was truly life-changing for our community down there, and even for our allies," Stay said. 'I hope that they got a glimpse of the magnitude of their impact for queer kids in small communities that they gave so much hope to.' Early years Gibson was born in Maine and moved to Colorado in the late 1990s, where they had served the past two years as the state's poet laureate. Their books included 'You Better Be Lightning,' 'Take Me With You' and 'Lord of the Butterflies.' Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that Gibson was 'truly one of a kind' and had 'a unique ability to connect with the vast and diverse poetry lovers of Colorado.' In a 2017 essay published in Out magazine, Gibson remembered coming out at age 20 while studying creative writing at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, a Catholic school. Identifying as genderqueer, Gibson wrote that they didn't feel like a boy or a girl and cited a line of their poetry: 'I am happiest on the road/ When I'm not here or there — but in-between.' Comedian Tig Notaro, an executive producer on the documentary and Gibson's friend of 25 years, shared on Instagram how the two came up together as performers in Colorado. Hearing Gibson perform for the first time was like witnessing the 'pure essence of an old-school genuine rock star,' and their words have guided Notaro through life ever since, she said. 'The final past few days of Andrea's life were so painful to witness, but simultaneously one of the most beautiful experiences of all of our lives,' Notaro said. 'Surrounded by real human connection unfolding in the most unlikely ways during one of the most devastating losses has given me a gift that I will never be able to put into meaningful words." Gibson's illness inspired many poems about mortality, depression, life and what happens next. In the 2021 poem 'How the Worst Day of My Life Became My Best,' Gibson declared 'When I realized the storm/was inevitable, I made it/my medicine.' Two years later, they wondered: 'Will the afterlife be harder if I remember/the people I love, or forget them?" "Either way, please let me remember.'


New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Poet Andrea Gibson, candid explorer of life, death and identity, dead at 49
Andrea Gibson, a celebrated poet and performance artist who, through their verse, explored gender identity, politics, and their 4-year battle with terminal ovarian cancer, died Monday at age 49. Gibson's death was announced on social media by their wife, Megan Falley. Gibson and Falley are the main subjects of the documentary 'Come See Me in the Good Light,' winner of the Festival Favorite Award this year at the Sundance Film Festival and scheduled to air this fall on Apple TV+. 'Andrea Gibson died in their home (in Boulder, Colorado) surrounded by their wife, Meg, four ex-girlfriends, their mother and father, dozens of friends, and their three beloved dogs,' Monday's announcement reads in part. Advertisement 4 Andrea Gibson, a celebrated poet and performance artist who explored gender identity, politics, and their 4-year battle with terminal ovarian cancer, died at age 49. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP The film — exploring the couple's enduring love as Gibson battles cancer — is directed by Ryan White and includes an original song written by Gibson, Sara Bareilles, and Brandi Carlile. During a screening at Sundance in January that left much of the audience in tears, Gibson said they didn't expect to live long enough to see the documentary. Tributes poured in Monday from friends, fans, and fellow poets who said Gibson's words had changed their lives — and, in some cases, saved them. Many LGBTQ+ fans said Gibson's poetry helped them learn to love themselves. People with cancer and other terminal illnesses said Gibson made them less afraid of death by reminding them that we never really leave the ones we love. Advertisement In a poem Gibson wrote shortly before they died, titled 'Love Letter from the Afterlife,' they wrote: 'Dying is the opposite of leaving. When I left my body, I did not go away. That portal of light was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I am more here than I ever was before.' 4 Gibson's death was announced on social media by their wife, Megan Falley (right). Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Linda Williams Stay was 'awestruck' when her son, Aiden, took her to hear Gibson perform at a bar in San Francisco a decade ago. Their poetry was electrifying, lighting up the room with laughter, tears, and love. Gibson's poetry became a shared interest for the mother and son, and eventually helped Stay better understand her son when he came out as transgender. Advertisement 'My son, this morning, when he called, we just sobbed together,' Stay said. 'He says, 'Mom, Andrea saved my life.'' 'I know,' she responded. Gibson's poetry later helped Stay cope with a cancer diagnosis of her own, which brought her son back home to St. George, Utah, to help take care of her. They were delighted when Gibson accepted their invitation to perform at an event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in southern Utah. 'It was truly life-changing for our community down there, and even for our allies,' Stay said. 'I hope that they got a glimpse of the magnitude of their impact for queer kids in small communities that they gave so much hope to.' Advertisement Gibson was born in Maine and moved to Colorado in the late 1990s, where they had served the past two years as the state's poet laureate. Their books included 'You Better Be Lightning,' 'Take Me With You,' and 'Lord of the Butterflies.' Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that Gibson was 'truly one of a kind' and had 'a unique ability to connect with the vast and diverse poetry lovers of Colorado.' 4 Gibson's books included 'You Better Be Lightning,' 'Take Me With You,' and 'Lord of the Butterflies.' AP In a 2017 essay published in Out magazine, Gibson remembered coming out at age 20 while studying creative writing at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, a Catholic school. Identifying as genderqueer, Gibson wrote that they didn't feel like a boy or a girl and cited a line of their poetry: 'I am happiest on the road/ When I'm not here or there — but in-between.' Comedian Tig Notaro, an executive producer on the documentary and Gibson's friend of 25 years, shared on Instagram how the two came up together as performers in Colorado. Hearing Gibson perform for the first time was like witnessing the 'pure essence of an old-school genuine rock star,' and their words have guided Notaro through life ever since, she said. 4 Gibson and Falley are the main subjects of the documentary 'Come See Me in the Good Light,' winner of the Festival Favorite Award this year at the Sundance Film Festival and scheduled to air this fall on Apple TV+. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Advertisement 'The final past few days of Andrea's life were so painful to witness, but simultaneously one of the most beautiful experiences of all of our lives,' Notaro said. 'Surrounded by real human connection unfolding in the most unlikely ways during one of the most devastating losses has given me a gift that I will never be able to put into meaningful words.' Gibson's illness inspired many poems about mortality, depression, life and what happens next. In the 2021 poem 'How the Worst Day of My Life Became My Best,' Gibson declared 'When I realized the storm/was inevitable, I made it/my medicine.' Two years later, they wondered: 'Will the afterlife be harder if I remember/the people I love, or forget them?' 'Either way, please let me remember.'


Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Colorado's poet laureate Andrea Gibson dies at 49, leaves ‘Love Letter from the Afterlife'
Andrea Gibson, award-winning poet, activist, and Colorado's Poet Laureate, died on July 14, 2025, at the age of 49. They passed peacefully at home in Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by their wife Meg, family, close friends, and their three beloved dogs. In the months leading up to their death, Gibson, who was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer in 2021, had been writing about mortality, joy, and the intimacy of impermanence. 'Since learning they had cancer in 2021, Andrea has been a champion of finding beauty in unlikely places and gratitude in the hardest hours. Over the last four years, they danced with their diagnosis, and continually aimed their internal compass toward joy,' their wife Meg wrote on Facebook. But perhaps no piece encapsulates their spirit more than the piece they published on their Substack in December 2023, titled 'Love Letter from the Afterlife.' Written during the holiday season for those grappling with loss, the poem has become, since the announcement of Gibson's death, a spiritual farewell to readers, listeners, and loved ones alike. 'Dying is the opposite of leaving,' the piece begins, reimagining death not as absence, but as presence magnified. Originally inspired by a message from their late grandmother, who told Gibson, 'I am more here than I ever was before,' the poem carries the voice of someone who has passed but remains deeply intertwined with the lives of those they love. 'Ask me the altitude of heaven, and I will answer, 'How tall are you?'' With lines that speak of forgiveness, enduring affection, and grief transformed into grace, the piece has resonated deeply with readers around the world. 'I want to echo it through the corridor of your temples, I am more with you than I ever was before,' they write. Gibson describes death as a kind of reincarnation in the hearts of the living. 'I know it's hard to believe, but I promise it's the truth. I promise one day you will say it too— I can't believe I ever thought I could lose you.' Andrea Gibson was one of the most influential spoken word poets of their generation. Born in Calais, Maine, in 1975, they rose to national recognition through their raw, emotionally vulnerable performances and writing that tackled gender identity, queerness, mental health, love, and mortality. In 2023, Gibson was named Poet Laureate of Colorado, where they had lived since the late 1990s. They authored seven poetry collections, including You Better Be Lightning and Lord of the Butterflies, and toured internationally to packed audiences. They were also the subject of the award-winning documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which follows Gibson and their wife Meg as they navigate love, art, and terminal illness. The film premiered at Sundance to critical acclaim and is set to air on Apple TV+ later this year. Gibson had a rare ability to connect deeply with people across backgrounds and identities. Their poetry helped LGBTQ+ youth, gave voice to those navigating grief, and offered comfort to the terminally ill. In the final years of their life, they became a beacon for how to live with joy even in the shadow of death. Their final Facebook post, which was put up by their wife after Gibson passed away, reads: 'Whenever I leave this world, whether it's sixty years from now, I wouldn't want anyone to say I lost some battle. I'll be a winner that day.' On July 14, at 4:16 am, Andrea Gibson was a winner. Though they deeply wished for more time, those close to Gibson say they found peace and presence in their final days. They lived fully until the end, writing, laughing, creating, and surrounding themselves with chosen family. In their final letter to the world, Andrea Gibson assures us that love, once given, never leaves. The poem now stands as both a farewell and a promise: that the people we lose remain with us, folded into every breath, every sunrise, every poem.


NBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Poet Andrea Gibson, candid explorer of life, death and identity, dies at 49
Andrea Gibson, a celebrated poet and performance artist who through their verse explored gender identity, politics and their 4-year battle with terminal ovarian cancer, died Monday at age 49. Gibson's death was announced on social media by their wife, Megan Falley. Gibson and Falley are the main subjects of the documentary "Come See Me in the Good Light," winner of the Festival Favorite Award this year at the Sundance Film Festival and scheduled to air this fall on Apple TV+. "Andrea Gibson died in their home (in Boulder, Colorado) surrounded by their wife, Meg, four ex-girlfriends, their mother and father, dozens of friends, and their three beloved dogs," Monday's announcement reads in part. The film — exploring the couple's enduring love as Gibson battles cancer — is directed by Ryan White and includes an original song written by Gibson, Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile. During a screening at Sundance in January that left much of the audience in tears, Gibson said they didn't expect to live long enough to see the documentary. Tributes poured in Monday from friends, fans and fellow poets who said Gibson's words had changed their lives — and, in some cases, saved them. Many LGBTQ fans said Gibson's poetry helped them learn to love themselves. People with cancer and other terminal illnesses said Gibson made them less afraid of death by reminding them that we never really leave the ones we love. In a poem Gibson wrote shortly before they died, titled "Love Letter from the Afterlife," they wrote: "Dying is the opposite of leaving. When I left my body, I did not go away. That portal of light was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I am more here than I ever was before." Linda Williams Stay was "awestruck" when her son, Aiden, took her to hear Gibson perform at a bar in San Francisco a decade ago. Their poetry was electrifying, lighting up the room with laughter, tears and love. Gibson's poetry became a shared interest for the mother and son, and eventually helped Stay better understand her son when he came out as transgender. "My son this morning, when he called, we just sobbed together," Stay said. "He says, 'Mom, Andrea saved my life.'" "I know," she responded. Gibson's poetry later helped Stay cope with a cancer diagnosis of her own, which brought her son back home to St. George, Utah, to help take care of her. They were delighted when Gibson accepted their invitation to perform at an event celebrating the LGBTQ community in southern Utah. "It was truly life-changing for our community down there, and even for our allies," Stay said. "I hope that they got a glimpse of the magnitude of their impact for queer kids in small communities that they gave so much hope to." Gibson was born in Maine and moved to Colorado in the late 1990s, where they had served the past two years as the state's poet laureate. Their books included "You Better Be Lightning," "Take Me With You" and "Lord of the Butterflies." Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that Gibson was "truly one of a kind" and had "a unique ability to connect with the vast and diverse poetry lovers of Colorado." In a 2017 essay published in Out magazine, Gibson remembered coming out at age 20 while studying creative writing at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, a Catholic school. Identifying as genderqueer, Gibson wrote that they didn't feel like a boy or a girl and cited a line of their poetry: "I am happiest on the road/ When I'm not here or there — but in-between." Comedian Tig Notaro, an executive producer on the documentary and Gibson's friend of 25 years, shared on Instagram how the two came up together as performers in Colorado. Hearing Gibson perform for the first time was like witnessing the "pure essence of an old-school genuine rock star," and their words have guided Notaro through life ever since, she said. "The final past few days of Andrea's life were so painful to witness, but simultaneously one of the most beautiful experiences of all of our lives," Notaro said. "Surrounded by real human connection unfolding in the most unlikely ways during one of the most devastating losses has given me a gift that I will never be able to put into meaningful words." Gibson's illness inspired many poems about mortality, depression, life and what happens next. In the 2021 poem "How the Worst Day of My Life Became My Best," Gibson declared "When I realized the storm/was inevitable, I made it/my medicine." Two years later, they wondered: "Will the afterlife be harder if I remember/the people I love, or forget them?"


Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Poet Andrea Gibson, candid explorer of life, death and identity, dies at 49
The film — exploring the couple's enduring love as Gibson battles cancer — is directed by Ryan White and includes an original song written by Gibson, Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile. During a screening at Sundance in January that left much of the audience in tears, Gibson said they didn't expect to live long enough to see the documentary. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Tributes poured in Monday from friends, fans and fellow poets who said Gibson's words had changed their lives — and, in some cases, saved them. Many LGBTQ+ fans said Gibson's poetry helped them learn to love themselves. People with cancer and other terminal illnesses said Gibson made them less afraid of death by reminding them that we never really leave the ones we love. Advertisement In a poem Gibson wrote shortly before they died, titled 'Love Letter from the Afterlife,' they wrote: 'Dying is the opposite of leaving. When I left my body, I did not go away. That portal of light was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I am more here than I ever was before.' Advertisement Linda Williams Stay was 'awestruck' when her son, Aiden, took her to hear Gibson perform at a bar in San Francisco a decade ago. Their poetry was electrifying, lighting up the room with laughter, tears and love. Gibson's poetry became a shared interest for the mother and son, and eventually helped Stay better understand her son when he came out as transgender. 'My son this morning, when he called, we just sobbed together,' Stay said. 'He says, 'Mom, Andrea saved my life.'' 'I know,' she responded. Gibson's poetry later helped Stay cope with a cancer diagnosis of her own, which brought her son back home to St. George, Utah, to help take care of her. They were delighted when Gibson accepted their invitation to perform at an event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in southern Utah. 'It was truly life-changing for our community down there, and even for our allies,' Stay said. 'I hope that they got a glimpse of the magnitude of their impact for queer kids in small communities that they gave so much hope to.' Gibson was born in Maine and moved to Colorado in the late 1990s, where they had served the past two years as the state's poet laureate. Their books included 'You Better Be Lightning,' 'Take Me With You' and 'Lord of the Butterflies.' Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that Gibson was 'truly one of a kind' and had 'a unique ability to connect with the vast and diverse poetry lovers of Colorado.' Advertisement In a 2017 essay published in Out magazine, Gibson remembered coming out at age 20 while studying creative writing at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, a Catholic school. Identifying as genderqueer, Gibson wrote that they didn't feel like a boy or a girl and cited a line of their poetry: 'I am happiest on the road/ When I'm not here or there — but in-between.' Comedian Tig Notaro, an executive producer on the documentary and Gibson's friend of 25 years, shared on Instagram how the two came up together as performers in Colorado. Hearing Gibson perform for the first time was like witnessing the 'pure essence of an old-school genuine rock star,' and their words have guided Notaro through life ever since, she said. 'The final past few days of Andrea's life were so painful to witness, but simultaneously one of the most beautiful experiences of all of our lives,' Notaro said. 'Surrounded by real human connection unfolding in the most unlikely ways during one of the most devastating losses has given me a gift that I will never be able to put into meaningful words.' Gibson's illness inspired many poems about mortality, depression, life and what happens next. In the 2021 poem 'How the Worst Day of My Life Became My Best,' Gibson declared 'When I realized the storm/was inevitable, I made it/my medicine.' Two years later, they wondered: 'Will the afterlife be harder if I remember/the people I love, or forget them?' 'Either way, please let me remember.'