Cheryl Strayed Shares Her Husband, Brian Lindstrom, Has Died
Cheryl Strayed took to Instagram on Friday to announce that her husband, filmmaker Brian Lindstrom, has died.
The author, whose beloved memoir was adapted into Reese Witherspoon's 2014 movie Wild, shared a sweet photo of Lindstrom, known for documentaries like Alien Boy and Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill. She stated that he died on Friday morning from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He was 65.
"Brian Lindstrom died this morning the way he lived-with gentleness and courage, grace and gratitude for his beautiful life. Our children, Carver and Bobbi, and I held him as he took his last breath and we will hold him forever in our hearts. The only thing more immense than our sorrow that Progressive Supranuclear Palsy took our beloved Brian from us is the endless love we have for him," Strayed wrote. "What tremendous luck it was to be his partner for more than thirty years. We loved each other and our kids with deep devotion and true delight. He was a stellar husband. He was the most magnificent dad. He was a man whose every word and deed was driven by kindness, compassion, and generosity. He saw the goodness in everyone. He believed that we are all sacred and redeemable."
Strayed continued, describing her husband's work as a filmmaker who focused on people who tend to be pushed under the rug by society. She also highlighted his tremendous relationship with their children.
"His greatest legacy is Carver and Bobbi, who embody everything good and true about their father. Their extraordinary grace, courage, and fortitude during this harrowing time was unfaltering and grounded in the undying love Brian poured into them every day of their lives," Strayed continued. "We do not know how we will live without him. We're utterly bereft. We can only walk this dark path and search for the beauty Brian knew was there. It will be his eternal light that guides us."
Strayed Shared About Lindstrom's Illness on April 30
On April 30, Strayed took to Instagram to share that she would be canceling upcoming appearances because Lindstrom had been diagnosed with what she described as a "serious, fatal illness."
"I simply cannot do anything but be with my family right now and see to our broken hearts," she wrote. "I ask that you hold us in your thoughts, prayers, light, and love."
Related: Wild for Cheryl Strayed? Here's How to Read the Bestselling Author's Books in Order
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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 12:30 PM.