Grief is a difficult topic to address at any age. Sesame Street, which has been at the forefront of mental health conversations with children, recently had a visitor who knows this feeling all too well—Andrew Garfield. The actor, who lost his mother, Lynn, in 2019, had a heartfelt conversation about how he has been processing the loss ever since. His insightful take has resounded with those who have experienced something similar, and inspired others to see grief in a new light.
The video begins with Elmo greeting Garfield, and telling him that he has been checking in on everybody on Sesame Street. “So, Elmo wants to know how Andrew’s doing?” the curious puppet asks. A coyly smiling Garfield says that he is happy to see Elmo, but shares that there's more to it. “I’m just thinking about my mom today. She passed away not too long ago and you know, I just miss her a lot.”
Elmo is quick to say he is sorry for his loss, but the actor reassures him that it's ok to miss somebody. “That sadness is kind of a gift. It’s kind of a lovely thing to feel, in a way, because it means you really loved somebody when you miss them,” the actor says. “When I miss my mom, I remember all of the cuddles I used to get from her, all of the hugs I used to get from her. And it makes me feel close to her when I miss her in a strange sort of way.”
The actor adds that he finds comfort in remembering the times he shared with his mom. “So, I’m happy to have all the memories of my mom and all the joy she brought me, and the joy she brought my brother, and my dad, everyone she ever met, everyone around her. So, when I miss her, I remember it’s because she made me so happy. So, I can celebrate her and I can miss her at the same time.”
Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of U.S. social impact at Sesame Workshop, described the clip as an authentic conversation around death, a sensitive yet important topic for both children and families. “They showed that it’s okay to miss someone you love, and it can be helpful to celebrate the memories you had with them that brought happiness and joy,” Betancourt said in a statement shared by NBC News.
This isn't the first time Garfield has spoken publicly about his grief. During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2021, he fought back tears when remembering his mother. “This is all the unexpressed love. The grief that will remain with us until we pass because we never get enough time with each other, right? No matter if someone lives until 60, 15, or 99. So I hope this grief stays with me because it’s all the unexpressed love that I didn’t get to tell her. And I told her every day! We all told her every day, she was the best of us.”
Sesame Workshop: Website | YouTube
h/t: [NBC News]
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