Patton Oswalt. | Source: Getty Images
Actor, stand-up comedian, and writer Patton Oswalt and his daughter Alice Rigney Oswalt were devastated by Michelle McNamara’s sudden death in 2016.
In 2016 the Oswalt family was devastated when writer Michelle McNamara passed away. McNamara left behind her husband of eleven years, Patton Oswalt, and their seven-year-old daughter.
In the aftermath of his wife’s death, Patton Oswalt was left to explain the unexplainable to his young daughter, Alice Rigney Oswalt.: that her mother had died and that they had t find a way through their grief.
Patton Oswalt and wife Michelle McNamara at the Los Angeles premiere of “Young Adult” in 2011 in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images
Michelle McNamara was a true crime writer and author of the best-selling book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” about a serial rapist and murderer killed who committed over 60 crimes in California between 1974 and 1986.
It was McNamara who named him The Golden State Killer in 2013. The killer was caught in 2018, two years after her death. Patton helped finish the book as a tribute to McNamara and her dream.
As she grows older Alice sometimes complains that “mom wouldn’t make me do it” but Patton reminds her that she is now older, and more responsible.
In 2020 HBO made the book into a documentary series, “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” telling not only the story of the Golden State Killer but McNamara’s obsession with getting justice for his victims.
This obsession contributed to her demise at the age of 46. Patton Oswalt, comedian and actor known for his role in “Agents of SHIELD,” had no idea that his wife had a heart condition or was taking opioids without a prescription.
McNamara’s death on April 21, 2016, came just days after her daughter’s seventh birthday on April 15. Patton has confessed that the hardest thing he ever had to do was break the news to Alice.
The little girl insisted on returning to school immediately, which Patton agreed to –until he realized Mother’s day was just weeks away on May 8. Since the school devoted the week to Mother’s day, Patton took Alice to Boston to visit their family.
Over the next week, Patton kept his daughter busy with fun activities and adventures and inadvertently kept himself from despair. He confessed:
“Having Alice was like: ‘I’ve got to get up, I’ve got to make breakfast, I got to take care of this little life.’ So, it’s almost like I had freedom from choice because I had our daughter.”
Patton revealed Alice’s positive attitude and her ability to come back from their devastating loss had been an inspiration in his life. Alice’s resilience was demonstrated in a clip the actor shared on Instagram.
In the video, Alice is teaching herself to skateboard and is attempting an ollie. No matter how many times she fell, Alice always got up with a smile on her face. Patton commented:
“This is the perfect approach and attitude for learning ANYTHING. It actually helped me out writing today so thank you, Alice.”
Patton Oswalt and Alice Rigney Oswalt at the Los Angeles premiere of HBO Max’s “Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off” in March 2022 in Santa Monica, California. | Source: Getty Images
Patton Oswalt about Taking Care of Alice Rigney Oswalt after Wife’s Death
Patton credits Alice’s presence in his life with saving him. He admits that without her, he might have given himself over to drinking and binge eating to drown his grief.
Looking after Alice forced Patton to come to terms with his loss constructively, to be an effective parent and a strong and happy person. He explained:
“I don’t want her memories of me to be of a parent that’s despairing even deeper than she is.”
Patton has confessed that his daughter has taught him about life, love, and grief. He recounted a late-night talk in which Alice told him:
“When your mom dies, everything you do is a memory of her. You are a memory of her. You are her memory.”
The actor was stunned by his daughter’s insight and immediately wrote it down. The father-daughter bond and their mutual support helped them make it through the dark days.
Life after Wife & Mom Died
Patton remarried in November 2017 to Meredith Salenger. The couple connected online after Patton missed a dinner party to which their mutual friend Martha Plimpton had invited them.
The two talked online for a long time, and Patton confessed he was more than a little in love when they met in person. Meredith brought new hope into Patton and Alice’s life. He said:
“Meredith swooped into our lonely, broken lives and helped put the pieces back together, stronger and sleeker than they were before.”
Alice and Meredith are great together, Patton revealed. As she grows older, Alice sometimes complains that “mom wouldn’t make me do it,” but Patton reminds her that she is now older and more responsible.
