Keanu Reeves' life was marred by tragedies and the little flicker of joy that he got from his partner and daughter died along with them. But there's finally a ray of hope in his life.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on February 12, 2021. It has since been updated.
The John Wick star has had a wildly successful career and has received love from fans across the globe for being a star with no airs about him, but does that suffice when you don't have the love and presence of the one person you care about? For Keanu Reeves, his personal life came to a halt after he lost his daughter, Ava, and partner Jennifer Syme. He detached himself from the world of love because he lived under the perpetual fear of losing the people he loves.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time he was hit so hard by a tragedy; his life was marred by personal losses from a very young age. His parents separated when he was only three and his father completely abandoned the family when he was 13. Later, he saw his sister Kim suffer from cancer and he became her primary caregiver. He was still gathering himself when his close friend and co-star River Phoenix passed away from an overdose. After all those years of grief and loneliness, he got the light of his life back with Jennifer and Ava, so losing them was probably the biggest misery of his life.
The dark-eyed actor met Jennifer Syme in 1998 during a party that was organized in the honor of his band, Dog Star. Reeves was smitten and Syme, who was eight years younger than him, instantly fell in love with him. The couple eventually started dating and kept their relationship private for a long time, reports Fabiosa.
A year into their courtship, the couple got pregnant and were delighted to get pregnant. They decided to call her Ava. But their lives changed forever when they discovered that their daughter was stillborn. Reeves, who had already gone through devastating losses in the past, could not bear the pain of losing his child. Syme, on the other hand, suffered deep postnatal depression, according to Daily Mail. They couldn't work past this and eventually split up after a few years of togetherness.
However, the couple were still in touch with each other privately and had a bond. Only two years later, Syme passed away in a car crash, this left him distraught and strengthened his fear. He also thought that he will probably never be able to overcome his grief, in one form or another, it will linger in his life.
Recalling the incidents, Reeves said, "Grief changes shape, but it never ends. People have a misconception that you can deal with it and say, 'It's gone, and I'm better.' They're wrong. When the people you love are gone, you're alone," according to Daily Mail.
At times, he also thinks about how his present would look like, had all his loved ones been alive. "I miss being a part of their lives and them being part of mine," he admits. "I wonder what the present would be like if they were here - what we might have done together. I miss all the great things that will never be. Damn it! It's not fair! It's absurd."
"All you can do is hope that grief will be transformed and, instead of feeling pain and confusion you will be together again in memory, that there will be solace and pleasure there, not just loss," said the actor. Despite the pain, he had said that he was looking forward to getting married one day.
"I don't want to flee from life. I'm trying not to be alone so much. And, man, it's a struggle. I want to get married. I want to have kids. That's at the top of the mountain. I've got to climb the mountain first. I'll do it. Just give me some time," the actor had said candidly.
Eventually, things did take a positive and probably unexpected turn when Alexandra Grant, a visual artist walked into his life. Sources reveal that she came as a positive force in his life and that Reeves experienced the healing power of a strong bond first-hand.
One source told Life & Style in 2019, “Keanu was so traumatized by [Jennifer Syme’s] death that there were times when he couldn’t get out of bed in the morning,” but “everything changed” when he met Grant.
“He was in such a dark place for so long, but Alexandra’s positive outlook and support have played a huge part in helping him turn his life around,” the insider explained.
We wish the couple, more power and love!
References:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-389527/Tragic-Keanu-tells-grief-loneliness.html
