He inspired people all over the world with his moving YouTube clip, but Kristian Anderson was foremost a loving father, reports Michael Gadd.
Cancer sufferer Kristian Anderson became a household name when the heartfelt video he made as a tribute to his wife Rachel went viral.
The YouTube hit – which featured Rachel’s favourite actor, Hugh Jackman – inspired and moved millions, and even captured the attention of Oprah Winfrey.
Now the tributes are flowing in for Kristian himself. The brave father of two finally lost his two-year battle with bowel cancer, dying in his sleep at a Sydney hospital last week, at 36.
“His breaths got lighter and quieter, and then they just stopped and he was gone,” says Rachel, who was by his side to the end. “His passing was truly peaceful.”
Kristian’s legacy remains on YouTube, where more than 500,000 people have viewed his 2010 birthday message to Rachel, starring their young sons Cody, 5, and Jakob, 3, along with Hugh and NZ Prime Minister John Key.
To read about what Hugh Jackman and Oprah Winfrey have said about Kristian and how Rachel is helping her sons cope with their father’s death, get in this week’s Woman’s Day, on sale January 2, 2012.
Watch Kristian’s beautiful YouTube message to his wife Rachel at the top of this page. Kristian’s blog is at howthelightgetsin.net.
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