Poet Andrea Gibson, Candid Explorer Of Life, Death And Identity, Dies At 49

2 days ago

Andrea Gibson, a celebrated writer and capacity creator who done their verse explored gender identity, authorities and their 4-year conflict pinch terminal ovarian cancer, died Monday astatine property 49.

Gibson's decease was announced connected societal media by their wife, Megan Falley. Gibson and Falley are nan main subjects of nan documentary "Come See Me successful nan Good Light," victor of nan Festival Favorite Award this twelvemonth astatine nan Sundance Film Festival and scheduled to aerial this autumn connected Apple TV+.

"Andrea Gibson died successful their location (in Boulder, Colorado) surrounded by their wife, Meg, 4 ex-girlfriends, their mother and father, dozens of friends, and their 3 beloved dogs," Monday's announcement sounds successful part.

The movie — exploring nan couple's enduring emotion arsenic Gibson battles crab — is directed by Ryan White and includes an original opus written by Gibson, Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile. During a screening astatine Sundance successful January that near overmuch of nan assemblage successful tears, Gibson said they didn't expect to unrecorded agelong capable to spot nan documentary.

Tributes poured successful Monday from friends, fans and chap poets who said Gibson's words had changed their lives — and, successful immoderate cases, saved them. Many LGBTQ fans said Gibson's poesy helped them study to emotion themselves. People pinch crab and different terminal illnesses said Gibson made them little acrophobic of decease by reminding them that we ne'er really time off nan ones we love.

In a poem Gibson wrote soon earlier they died, titled "Love Letter from nan Afterlife," they wrote: "Dying is nan other of leaving. When I near my body, I did not spell away. That portal of ray was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I americium much present than I ever was before."

Linda Williams Stay was "awestruck" erstwhile her son, Aiden, took her to perceive Gibson execute astatine a barroom successful San Francisco a decade ago. Their poesy was electrifying, lighting up nan room pinch laughter, tears and love. Gibson's poesy became a shared liking for nan mother and son, and yet helped Stay amended understand her boy erstwhile he came retired arsenic transgender.

"My boy this morning, erstwhile he called, we conscionable sobbed together," Stay said. "He says, 'Mom, Andrea saved my life.'"

"I know," she responded.

Gibson's poesy later helped Stay header pinch a crab test of her own, which brought her boy backmost location to St. George, Utah, to thief return attraction of her. They were delighted erstwhile Gibson accepted their invitation to execute astatine an arena celebrating nan LGBTQ organization successful confederate Utah.

"It was genuinely life-changing for our organization down there, and moreover for our allies," Stay said. "I dream that they sewage a glimpse of nan magnitude of their effect for queer kids successful mini communities that they gave truthful overmuch dream to."

Gibson was calved successful Maine and moved to Colorado successful nan precocious 1990s, wherever they had served nan past 2 years arsenic nan state's writer laureate. Their books included "You Better Be Lightning," "Take Me With You" and "Lord of nan Butterflies."

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that Gibson was "truly 1 of a kind" and had "a unsocial expertise to link pinch nan immense and divers poesy lovers of Colorado."

In a 2017 effort published successful Out magazine, Gibson remembered coming retired astatine property 20 while studying imaginative penning astatine Saint Joseph's College of Maine, a Catholic school. Identifying arsenic genderqueer, Gibson wrote that they didn't consciousness for illustration a boy aliases a woman and cited a statement of their poetry: "I americium happiest connected nan road/ When I'm not present aliases location — but in-between."

Comedian Tig Notaro, an executive shaper connected nan documentary and Gibson's friend of 25 years, shared connected Instagram really nan 2 came up together arsenic performers successful Colorado. Hearing Gibson execute for nan first clip was for illustration witnessing nan "pure principle of an old-school genuine stone star," and their words person guided Notaro done life ever since, she said.

"The last past fewer days of Andrea's life were truthful achy to witness, but simultaneously 1 of nan astir beautiful experiences of each of our lives," Notaro said. "Surrounded by existent quality relationship unfolding successful nan astir improbable ways during 1 of nan astir devastating losses has fixed maine a gift that I will ne'er beryllium capable to put into meaningful words."

Gibson's unwellness inspired galore poems astir mortality, depression, life and what happens next. In nan 2021 poem "How nan Worst Day of My Life Became My Best," Gibson declared "When I realized nan storm/was inevitable, I made it/my medicine." Two years later, they wondered: "Will nan afterlife beryllium harder if I remember/the group I love, aliases hide them?"

"Either way, please fto maine remember."