Sunny Ozell, the wife of late actor Patrick Stewart, paid tribute to her husband two weeks after his death on social media.
“[T]he grief continues to come in waves,” the musician wrote Wednesday on Instagram. Ozell’s remembrance included a black-and-white photo of her embracing Stewart from behind. “My heart had to grow to contain my love for Patrick, and he changed me for the better, forever.”
Stewart, best known for his portrayal of Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek” series and films and Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” franchise, died Oct. 28 at age 86. The actor had been battling Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He died “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny,” according to the Oct. 29 announcement.
Ozell added that she has “also been experiencing such deep, profound gratitude” amid her grief.
“We left nothing unsaid. He knew I loved him, and I know he loved me,” she shared on Instagram. “Patrick and I truly authentically saw one another, and we amplified each other’s best qualities. We shared nearly two decades together, and we filled those years with so much living.”
Stewart and Ozell met in 2008 at a restaurant in Brooklyn where the latter was working as a server at the time. The couple married in 2013 after years of dating. Stewart’s longtime friend and fellow “X-Men” actor Ian McKellan officiated the wedding.
Patrick Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier in “X-Men.”
(Attila Dory / 20th Century Fox)
In her social media statement, Ozell also expressed her appreciation for the sympathy and support from well-wishers.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the public response to Patrick’s death, and while I’m not at all surprised that he touched so many, I’m sincerely moved by the outpouring of sadness and loss,” she wrote. “Thank you all for your condolences, they mean so, so much to me.”
Stewart’s final appearance as Professor X will be in Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday,” to be released Dec. 18.
