The death of Warwick Davis ' wife, Samantha, has left a "huge hole" in his heart.
The Harry Potter star announced the passing of Samantha, aged 53, late last night in a heartfelt tribute, describing her as his "most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career". The couple have two children together, Harrison and Annabelle, who also paid tribute, saying their late mother's "love and happiness carried us through our whole lives".
Warwick, 54, and Sam met on the set of the 1988 film Willow when they were just teenagers. Warwick was 17 and already a star from his role as Ewok Wicket in Star Wars : Return of the Jedi. Samantha, then 16, was the daughter of Peter Burroughs, a co-star in Willow, where Warwick landed the lead role opposite Val Kilmer.
Samantha and Warwick Davis with their two children Annabelle and Harrison (Variety via Getty Images)Samantha, who had achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes disproportionate dwarfism, was known for her roles in Through the Dragon's Eye, ShortFellas and Honky Sausages. The couple dated for four years before marrying in June 1991.
In a touching birthday message, Samantha once praised her husband as "You are the bravest, most caring and sensitive person I know," adding, "You amaze us all everyday with your courage and strength. I love you to the moon and back. Always and forever yours."
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Warwick was born with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), an extremely rare genetic form of dwarfism, which was inherited by their children. The actor has previously shared how the combination of both his and Samantha's conditions resulted in the deaths of two of their babies.
Their son Lloyd sadly died nine days after he was born, as his lungs were too small to support normal function. They also lost their son George when Samantha was 19 weeks pregnant. "Prior to Annabelle and Harrison we had a baby boy, Lloyd, who inherited both our conditions… and that is something that proves fatal," he told Bear Grylls in a 2019 TV special.
The couple tragically lost two babies"It's something that a baby won't survive. But Lloyd survived for nine days, but yeah he was beautiful. It was a tough time. And yeah, we had a stillborn too. That kind of stuff just makes you stronger."
Speaking about how the tragic loss bonded him, Warwick told People magazine that he would "never get over" the death of his son in 1991. "I think it brings you closer together, or something like that, but it's an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, it's devastating.
"You do learn to live with it, eventually, over time, you're able to better understand why it happened and can come to terms with it a bit more, but you never get over it." He added: "I think the losses shaped our family dynamic, we love Annabelle and Harrison all that more because they're here with us".
Samantha's cause of death has not been confirmed. Her children Harrison and Annabelle also paid tribute, saying: "Mum is our best friend and we're honoured to have received a love like hers." Before her death, Warwick and Samantha enjoyed a night out together and beamed at the camera as they posed for a selfie.
The actor shared the snap on his Instagram account as they both got dressed up for the date. He cheekily wrote in the caption: "A long overdue date night with my beautiful wife. She felt a bit overdressed for McDonald’s!" The couple were sent messages of support from fans as one said: "You two are just amazing. Hope you had a great time." Another added: "Awwww. No better to have a date night than McDonald’s." Someone else commented: "An awesome couple."
Continuing his tribute following her devastating passing, the dad-of-two said: "With her by my side, I was sure I could achieve anything, it was like having a superpower. Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3. She was passionate about helping people, without judgment. She had time for everyone and a genuine listening ear."
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