Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has opened up about the profound impact of losing his father, Jack, and how writing helped him navigate his grief.
Jack, who had dementia, passed away in December 2019, leaving Lightbody feeling “numb for a year.”
In an interview with BBC News NI, Lightbody described writing about his father’s passing as a deeply personal process. Initially, he had no intention of sharing it publicly.
“I wasn’t writing it thinking people were ever going to read it, I was writing it for myself,” he said.
However, after sharing it with close friends and discussing their experiences with grief, he realized how universal yet unique the grieving process is.
The singer, best known for hits like Chasing Cars and Run, believes that love and grief are inseparable.
“You can’t grieve someone’s passing without having loved them in the first place,” he reflected.
His book, The Forest is the Path, captures his journey through loss, his cherished memories of his father, and his regrets about being absent during Jack’s final years.
Lightbody recalls the day his father died, expressing guilt over missing moments during Jack’s cognitive decline.
However, his father’s passing also became a turning point, teaching him resilience.
“I never imagined, you don’t imagine that happening, a parent passing. Even when he had dementia, I was refusing to believe it,” he admitted.
Grieving while managing responsibilities gave him a sense of duty.
“I felt like a torch had been passed and I was the man of the family now – I was having to stand up and be that.”
Beyond grief, Lightbody’s book also explores his struggles with depression, substance abuse, and his journey toward sobriety.
In 2016, a series of infections caused by prolonged drug and alcohol use forced him to reassess his mental health. Since getting sober, he feels “less fragile” and more present in his life.
“A lot of the times I am writing in the book about a version of myself that is now extinct,” he said.
The Forest is the Path is also a companion piece to Snow Patrol’s album of the same name, released last year.
While the book stands on its own, Lightbody notes that listening to the album “might help some parts of this book make sense.”
Through his candid storytelling, Lightbody hopes that sharing his grief will resonate with others facing loss, reminding them that even in sorrow, there is strength and connection.
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