by Courtney Keskinen

Created on: January 24, 2008

Looking at celebrities, if there was one who seemed to downright dislike having attention drawn to him, I think it was Heath Ledger. He never seemed very comfortable talking about himself in interviews, even when promoting his own work. One gets the sense that he lacked the narcissism prevalent in Hollywood that is necessary to find such work enjoyable. It was clear that he was an artist in the true sense of the word. He was an actor for the craft, not for the attention and the accolades. While he was appreciative, gracious and kind with fans, he openly had issues with photographers/paparazzi and their blatant disregard for his privacy. What a sad scene it was to see the constant flashing of bulbs as hundreds tried to take pictures of Heath Ledger's body being carried out of his apartment. Passersby were even catching the moment on cell phone cameras, wanting to remember the day that was Heath Ledger's last.

Perhaps, the two people I have thought about the most in this tragedy are his former fiance Michelle Williams and their young daughter Matilda Rose. I actually had the opportunity to meet Ms. Williams briefly during her "Dawson's Creek" days. She was very kind and gracious and I got the same sense that she really didn't welcome attention to herself. She just wanted to live a normal life. Perhaps these traits allowed Heath and Michelle to share a life together for some time under this common ideal. They were driven by the need for normalcy and the desire to raise their child in a loving and protected environment, shielded from the downside of their celebrity statuses. Although the circumstances surrounding their separation were never revealed, one gets the sense this was a great love for both of them and the two would be forever entwined through their child.

Heath is remembered as a kind and gracious individual who was very modest and humble. A true talent at his craft, he appeared to see his daughter as his greatest accomplishment. The photos that have caught glimpses into Heath's everyday life were a testimony to this devotion to his daughter. Magazines printed pages with Heath on a street in New York with toddler Matilda resting on his shoulders eating an ice cream cone or holding a stuffed animal. He was a father just trying to spend time with his daughter. The amount of time to spend with her seemed significantly less after his separation from her mother as well as work schedules in various parts of the world.

There is speculation that the separation from his daughter contributed to Heath's need for anxiety medication. In such tragic fashion, those photographs will be able to tell the tale of devotion to Matilda as she grows up, since her father will not be there to do so. She may have only faint memories of her father, but her family will tell her stories of his love for her wellbeing. Heath Ledger's life was cut short by tragic circumstances, but he leaves behind a legacy for all to remember: his body of work and more importantly, his daughter Matilda.

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