Patton Oswalt says his daughter saved him after his wife’s death, and we’re crying all over again
Ever since the news that Patton Oswalt’s wife Michelle McNamara suddenly passed away last April, he’s been in our collective thoughts. Dealing with the death of a loved one, especially when it’s sudden, is a difficult and, at times, seemingly impossible undertaking. Add to that the fact that Oswalt has been juggling his own grief with being a single father, and we not only have a massive amount of empathy for what the past year must’ve been like for him, but also a whole lot of admiration.
Now, we have another thing to add to our list of “reasons Patton Oswalt is definitely a superhero.”
In a recent interview with Playboy, Oswalt confronted questions about his life with his characteristic openness and insight. He also credited his survival in the face of grief to his daughter.
“If I hadn’t had a daughter and my wife died, we wouldn’t be talking right now. I’m not saying I would be dead, but I would be a shut-in alcoholic. Everything would have shut down. I wouldn’t have been about anything. But with Alice, it was and is ‘You got to get up.’"
He also spoke about how easy it can be, sometimes, to sink into depression and grief. And considering this, we’re especially glad his daughter helped him through this difficult time.
“Depression is not terrifying. Depression is seductive and comforting, said Oswalt. “It sticks around so long because it creates this false sense of ‘Oh, here’s where I’m safe.’ Grief is like depression’s drill sergeant. It knows the tricks that depression doesn’t know.
Patton Oswalt recently announced his engagement to actress Meredith Salenger, and we’re thrilled to see him with some new joy in his life. We hope the future only brings more of that for him, and that he keeps sharing his wisdom with us.
