Kim Ledger talks to Natalee Fuhrmann about his precious time with his granddaughter Matilda and her mum Michelle in New York.
When Heath Ledger died, fans feared his daughter Matilda may lose touch with her Aussie heritage, but nothing could be further from the truth, with her mother Michelle Williams welcoming Heath’s dad Kim and sister Kate into her New York home.
With her 29th birthday just weeks away, Michelle opened her home and her heart to “Papa Kim” and “Aunty Kate”, who have just spent 10 days getting to know the lovely little girl Heath left behind.
“We call Michelle and Matilda our ‘M and Ms’,” confides proud grandad Kim. “It takes us 24 hours to get to them, but it’s worth every minute.”
The 38,000 kilometre round-trip from Perth is punishing, but Heath’s dad is trying to push aside the painful memories of his son’s death and develop a close relationship with Michelle and Matilda.
Kate, too, adores Michelle, and when the two spend time together the almost-sisters-in-law laugh and share their memories of Heath.
“We had a great time over there and we didn’t want to leave New York,” admits a still jet-lagged Kim, fresh from his “Matilda fix” in the States.
“Matilda calls me Papa and my daughter is Aunty Kate —and she runs into our arms when we see her. She is adorably affectionate and very playful. We take turns to read her off to sleep each night.”
Even though Michelle and Heath had separated before his death, the Ledger family never let go of their ties to the actress. To them, Michelle remains a much-loved member of the family.
Matilda may not get to know her dad, but she will certainly get to know her Aussie grandad.
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