Warwick Davis and his children have begun the immensely difficult process of coming to terms with the death of the star's wife Samantha.
On Wednesday, Warwick relayed the devastating news the mum-of-two had died aged 53. The Harry Potter actor released a statement before Harrison and Annabelle offered very personal tributes on a very demanding day for them all. Samantha actually died on 24 March, with the family taking a few weeks to mourn together before sharing their news with the world.
The two actors met while filming on the set of Willow as teenagers. Their love story began in between scenes, where Samantha, then 16, was an extra, leading to four years of dating before they married in 1991. He described his wife as his "most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career".
Samantha passed away after the pair spoke previously about her health struggles (PA)
Warwick says her death 'leaves a huge hole in our lives as a family' (Getty Images)Sepsis battle
Samantha's passing follows her 2019 battle with silent killer sepsis. While the cause of death has not been shared, her husband explained that her mobility had become impaired in recent years. But he stated she was "determined that it would not impact her quality of life and limit what she did and was able to achieve."
Sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, is a deadly bacterial infection which is difficult to identify and there is currently no test to diagnose it. But without prompt treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure and death. Every year in the UK there are 48,000 sepsis-related deaths, according to the UK Sepsis Trust.
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Samantha's health dramatically declined ahead of a family caravan holiday as she was rushed to hospital. Warwick previously said: "The next few hours were the longest of my life as I waited on the ward with our children in the empty space left by Sam's hospital bed. I hoped it would not symbolise a future for us without her."
It's believed she contracted sepsis after undergoing decompression surgery on her spine. Samantha, founder of dwarfism charity Little People UK, said a few years ago: "We went home a week later and suddenly I couldn't feel my legs. I thought I was still recovering from the surgery so I went to bed, but the next day I felt awful, as though I had been hit by a truck.
Dwarfism
Warwick Davis and wife Samantha didn't both have the same condition (warwickadavis/Instagram)Warwick was born with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, an extremely rare genetic form of dwarfism, which has been inherited by both their daughter Annabelle and son Harrison. Samantha had achondroplasia, a hereditary condition in which the growth of long bones is restricted by ossification of cartilage, resulting in very short limbs and sometimes a face that is small in relation to the skull.
He told the Guardian back in 2015: “You look at somebody with dwarfism, the first thing that strikes you is probably that they’re short, and that’s it. But that’s the tip of the iceberg. It gets worse. Could be a cleft palate, hearing loss – or you end up in a wheelchair.” In an interview with People in 2022, Warwick opened up about the grief he and Samantha went through after their first son died shortly after he was born due to complications from the dwarfism genes he inherited from both of his parents."
Final Mother's Day
Samantha Davis' family paid a heartfelt tribute to her (Variety via Getty Images)Samantha touchingly said she was the "luckiest mum in the world" in an emotional Mother's Day post two weeks before her death.
She was gushing about motherhood in a social media message that is now so heartbreaking to see. Responding to a message from Annabelle that was shared on March 10, Samantha replied: “I love you and Harrison so much. I am so proud to be your mum. Thank you to you both for making it the best today. I am the luckiest mum in the world.”
Warwick yesterday issued an emotional statement as he said: "Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs." He described Sammy, as he called her, as his "most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career". The actor added: "She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.
Harrison and Annabelle joined their father in paying tribute and said "her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives". "Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers," they added. Warwick continued: "With her by my side, I was sure I could achieve anything, it was like having a super-power. Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3."
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