When illustrator Gary Andrews’ wife, Joy, died suddenly from sepsis, everything changed in an instant. Left raising their two young children, aged 7 and 10 at the time, Gary picked up a pen and started doodling - not to create perfect pictures, but to let his feelings out, one sketch at a time.

Those nightly doodles became a lifeline. He shared them online, where they struck a chord with thousands of people grieving or struggling with loss. Through simple drawings, some heartbreaking, some full of laughter, Gary showed what grief really looks like: messy, painful, but also threaded with love and hope.

In this episode, Gary talks about how creativity helped him survive the hardest days, how a community grew around his drawings, and how it all led to his book, Finding Joy, a tribute to Joy, and to the small moments that keep us going.

Follow us on Instagram: @ashgate_hospice

Support resources: Ashgate Hospice Resource Centre

Find out more about Gary and his work: www.garyscribbler.co.uk

This episode of The Life and Death podcast was produced by Olivia Swift and it’s a Reform Radio production.