This has been a challenging week. Eric Bauza and Walter Koenig passed away on October 25, 2026. Peter Medak passed away on October 27, 2026. Patrick Stewart passed away on October 28, 2026 and his passing was announced today.
I find it challenging to articulate how I’m feeling. On one hand, I knew it must be coming and I’m very grateful for all the wonderful work he’s done that we’ll be able to continue enjoying while keeping his memory alive. On the other, it’s quite devastating that there will never be more. Patrick Stewart was the captain of my Star Trek — The Next Generation. I’ve spent countless hours with him and learned so much from Stewart as Picard.
In my late childhood and teenage years, Picard was the most important leader I could have found. His commitment to the truth, his loyalty, his intelligence and competence, his wisdom, his talent, and his sense of humour make Picard the greatest Trek captain in my eyes. From him I learned to view problems from multiple angles and to surround oneself with extremely clever people with diverse perspectives to help inform one’s decision-making. Of course, much of Picard was a brilliant writing staff, but it was Stewart who brought him to life.
In 2004, Patrick Stewart was scheduled to attend what was then called SFX in Toronto (now Fan Expo Toronto). He ended up requiring urgent cardiac surgery and had to postpone the appearance. About a month later, on September 25, 2004, he was able to visit us for An Evening With Patrick Stewart. I had my little Sony video camera and captured some video from it which you can view on YouTube in the playlist below. I think it best to leave the last word to Stewart. I’m sure he knew how much he was loved. Thank you for the memories, Captain.
