Patrick Stewart died Thursday at 86, his spokesperson confirming a brief journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. The actor who brought Captain Picard and Professor X to life leaves behind a legacy that shaped sci-fi for decades. His son Daniel, 59, responded to the news with a single image on X: a throwback photo of himself as a kid, arms wrapped tight, getting a piggyback ride from his dad.
That photo carries weight. In 2023, Patrick said his relationship with Daniel and his daughter Sophie, 54, was practically nonexistent, calling the estrangement a source of ongoing pain. Daniel also once spoke bluntly about nepotism in acting, saying doors opened for him that wouldn’t open for others. The tribute feels like both a goodbye and a bridge.
Star Trek fans know Daniel from“The Inner Light,”the beloved 1992 Next Generation episode where he played Batai, the son of Picard’s simulated life. Fiction and reality now sit side by side in one image. What’s the Patrick Stewart performance you’ll remember most?
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Local Lawton
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