Cheryl Strayed is mourning the death of her husband Brian Lindstrom.
On Friday morning (May 15), the 57-year-old Wild author announced that the documentary filmmaker had died from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disease.
“Brian Lindstrom died this morning the way he lived—with gentleness and courage, grace and gratitude for his beautiful life,” Cheryl wrote on Instagram. “Our children, Carver and Bobbi, and I held him as he took his last breath and we will hold him forever in our hearts. The only thing more immense than our sorrow that Progressive Supranuclear Palsy took our beloved Brian from us is the endless love we have for him.”
“What tremendous luck it was to be his partner for more than thirty years. We loved each other and our kids with deep devotion and true delight,” she continued. “He was a stellar husband. He was the most magnificent dad. He was a man whose every word and deed was driven by kindness, compassion, and generosity. He saw the goodness in everyone. He believed that we are all sacred and redeemable.”
Cheryl also highlighted Brian‘s work in the documentary field.
“His work as a documentary filmmaker was dedicated to telling stories of people who, as he put it, ‘society puts an X through,’” she wrote. “He erased that X with his camera and his astonishing heart. He made films about incarcerated moms and their kids, about people with mental illness and substance use disorders, about teens living in homeless shelters, foster care, and detention centers, about people who were at the bottom and trying to climb up.”
Cheryl continued, “He showed them to us so we’d see what he saw: that every one of us is deserving of love and respect; mercy and honor. Again and again, he went to the darkness to show us how much light is there. He was of service. He spoke truth to power. He measured his success by asking if his films made an impact—and they did. They saved programs and people; changed lives, policies, and minds. They made people feel seen, heard, and believed. They softened the world with their empathy.”
Cheryl and Brian had been together for over 30 years after meeting in 1995. They shared two children, Carver and Bobbi.
“His greatest legacy is Carver and Bobbi, who embody everything good and true about their father,” she wrote. “Their extraordinary grace, courage, and fortitude during this harrowing time was unfaltering and grounded in the undying love Brian poured into them every day of their lives.”
Cheryl concluded, “We do not know how we will live without him. We’re utterly bereft. We can only walk this dark path and search for the beauty Brian knew was there. It will be his eternal light that guides us.”
Cheryl revealed in April that Brian had been diagnosed with a “serious, fatal illness.” At the time, she canceled several work engagements to be with her husband.
Our thoughts are with Cheryl and all of Brian‘s loved ones during this difficult time. RIP.
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