S6 Ep2: How doodling helped Gary Andrews find hope after his wife’s death

When illustrator Gary Andrews’ wife, Joy, died suddenly from sepsis, everything changed in an instant. Left raising their two young children, aged 7 and 10 at the time, Gary picked up a pen and started doodling - not to create perfect pictures, but to let his feelings out, one sketch at a time.

Those nightly doodles became a lifeline. He shared them online, where they struck a chord with thousands of people grieving or struggling with loss. Through simple drawings, some heartbreaking, some full of laughter, Gary showed what grief really looks like: messy, painful, but also threaded with love and hope.

In this episode, Gary talks about how creativity helped him survive the hardest days, how a community grew around his drawings, and how it all led to his book, Finding Joy, a tribute to Joy, and to the small moments that keep us going.

Follow us on Instagram: @ashgate_hospice
Support resources: Ashgate Hospice Resource Centre
Find out more about Gary and his work: www.garyscribbler.co.uk

This episode of The Life and Death podcast was produced by Olivia Swift and it’s a Reform Radio production.