Less than two weeks ago, Michelle McNamara, true crime writer and wife of comedian Patton Oswalt, died suddenly. She left behind a loving husband and a 7-year-old daughter, Alice.
In the time since his wife’s passing, Oswalt has written a few things online, but nothing terribly substantial.
That changed on Tuesday afternoon, when Oswalt published a heartbreaking essay in Time about the experience of losing a spouse.
Oswalt’s beautiful tribute to his wife included a more complete biography of the writer. Oswalt discusses how McNamara got started as a writer and includes a nugget about his wife working for future First Lady Michelle Obama in Chicago in the 1990s.
“The reaction to her passing, the people who are shocked at her senseless absence, is a testament to how she steered her life with joyous, wicked curiosity,” Oswalt goes on to write.
“Cops and comedians call — speechless or sending curt regards. Her family is devastated but can’t help remember all of the times she made them laugh or comforted them, and they smile and laugh themselves. She hasn’t left a void. She’s left a blast crater.”
"I loved her. This is the first time I've been able to use 'I' writing this. Probably because there hasn't been much of an 'I' since the morning of April 21. There probably won't be for a while. Whatever there is belongs to my daughter — to our daughter. Alice."
Oswalt closes his loving tribute to his wife, by paying tribute to their daughter, who proved at just 7 years old that she is wise beyond her years.
Five days after Michelle was gone, Alice and I were half-awake at dawn, after a night of half-sleeping. Alice sat up in bed. Her face was silhouetted in the dawn light of the bedroom windows. I couldn't see her expression. I just heard her voice: "When your mom dies you're the best memory of her. Everything you do and say is a memory of her."
That's the kind of person Michelle created and helped shape.
That was Michelle. That is Michelle.
I love her.
Michelle McNamara was 46 years old.
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