A brother’s heartbreaking tribute to ‘the man who made me cool’

His Brisbane company made the most watched kids TV show last year, he’s starred with Thor and has a couple of Emmys on the shelf. Daley Pearson’s tribute to the man who made him cool is heartbreaking.

Multi Emmy-award winning producer Daley Pearson is co-founder of Brisbane’s Ludo Studio, who produced the highest rated children’s TV show last year, Bluey. He also stars as Thor’s roommate Darryl in a Marvel Studio’s short-comedy series filmed to publicise the smash-hit film Thor: Ragnarok.

Here, as written in a Facebook post we have permission to reproduce, he pays tribute to the man “who made him cool”, his brother, Liam, who died in 1998:

Liam Pearson.

Ludo Studios co-founder Daley Pearson

It’s 2019.

Here’s Liam when he had hair.

My brother passed today.

I don’t think all those nice sayings about time are true. It feels like yesterday. I think most of my friends here didn’t know him.

You missed out.

He was my best friend.

I always looked up to him. He was as tall as anything. I was as short as anything. Mum always said I’d grow. I did. Eventually. Not as good looking as Liam.

So, what do I say about him? He never knew Facebook. He got cancer. A death sentence.

That’s heavy.

Too heavy for a teenager.

Too heavy for Mum and Dad.

I never asked how long he was given but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was less than a year. But he outlived the expectation. He was 26. He got a law degree. A job as solicitor. A house. He earned it himself. He got a car. A Lada. It got washed away in a river while he was camping. He travelled the world. New York. LA. Ireland. Paris. Everywhere. He helped knock down the Berlin Wall. Built furniture. Showed me movies I was way too young to watch. All on his own dime. He posted me Ninja Turtle toys from New York — on a backpackers budget. Then he took me to Japan. Singapore. Then he got a dog. Harry the Boxer. Who was crazy. He had a girlfriend, Tania. Who is still like my sister. He dressed as the Pope for his 21st. I went as the devil.

He also had chemotherapy.

A bone-marrow transplant.

A million medications.

And operations.

And I’m sure a million pieces of bad news.

But I don’t remember him complaining. Ever. Maybe about me being annoying. Maybe about Mum and Dad worrying. Especially Mum. Maybe about Shawn, Sarah and Kieran. Maybe about Harry. Who was actually a crazy dog.

But never about life.

Maybe he did? Maybe to the Doctor? Maybe to Mum? But I never heard it myself.

“I’ve gotta play the cards I’ve been dealt”. That’s what he said to Mum once in hospital.

Daley Pearson and his big brother Liam, heading to a costume party. Picture: Daley Pearson

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Darryl (Daley Pearson) in a spoof video for Marvel Studios. Picture: Marvel Studios

There was one particular operation that the doctors weren’t sure he’d come out of alive. Liam knew it too. And Mum. And Dad. The theatre nurse said, “ … in again, Liam?”. From the operating table he replied, “I enjoyed it so much last time I thought I’d come back …”

That’s Steve McQueen.

John McClane.

Dirty Harry.

But Liam was real.

He treated me like a best friend. I didn’t feel like a little brother. I was tiny. But I was his friend. He took me under his wing. To football. To the movies. To the pub. Overseas. That made me cool. Liam made you feel cool.

He was also kind.

Smart.

Sharp.

Hilarious.

Just, cool.

Very. Very. Cool.

I’ve met a few “cool” people so far in my life. There’s just something special about them that’s different. Not superior or better than other people. Just unique. They make you feel cool by being around them.

Liam did that.

Mum called today. She was crying. Sorry Mum. I had to leave the office to cry too. In the fire escape stairwell. Like I was in an episode of Ally McBeal. I was embarrassed. I’m not now. So what? My Mum and Dad are strong people. The strongest I know. Also the craziest. Who wouldn’t be? Dad slept at the hospital for the last week. Like Robin Williams said, “visiting hours didn’t apply”. He couldn’t have asked for better parents.

Daley Pearson and Benjamin Zaugg pictured with their 2017 Emmy for Doodles. Picture: Supplied

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) Thor and housemate Darryl (Daley Pearson), in the Team Thor comedy series for Marvel Studios.

I’m older than you now, Liam.

I wonder what you would have thought of me? Would we still be best friends? What would you have thought of my stuff? Would you have liked it? Laughed? Teased me about it? I know nothing I’ve done yet is worthy of showing to you. But one day.

So what else?

The worst thing is that the story of Liam and my family is not unique. Liam was unique. His story isn’t.

So, maybe this: Love. Be loved. Don’t be scared. Ever. Or be scared. It’s human. But don’t waste a second. Unless you want to waste a second. Then do that too. I think.

Above all.

Be yourself.

That’s Liam. Come as you are.

I loved him. I love him. I miss him. I’m crying as I write this Facebook post. I’m not going to re-edit it either. But that’s okay. So, in remembering Liam, I want to say, if you ever need me. For anything. Just call. I’ll be there.

Liam was a gift.

I want to pass it on …

.........

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— If you are moved by this and would like to donate to a cancer charity, the Pearson family suggests St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside (formerly known as Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital). Liam was cared for and died at Holy Spirit Wickham Tce, which was relocated to the site at Chermside. (Click here .)

There is a field into the donation page; “additional comments” which will allow donors to include text about where they would like their donations to be directed in the hospital. The family would like to direct donations on behalf of Liam to the Oncology Ward.

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Via Amanda Horswill. [e-mail]

More local news at questnews.com.au/north

A postcard from Liam Pearson to Daley Pearson.

A postcard from Liam Pearson to Daley Pearson.