Lucia Hawley, niece of actress Nicole Kidman, has opened up about the devastating day her father, Angus Hawley, passed away at age 46 from a suspected heart attack during a business trip in New York in 2015.
The Tragic Moment
Lucia, now 27, recounted the scene in an emotional Instagram tribute. She was 16 at the time, playing dress-up with her then-eight-year-old sister when their mother broke the news.
“It was a balmy Saturday afternoon, Never Tear Us Apart by INXS was playing in the background, and I was wearing a pink tutu,” Lucia wrote, noting it was not the ideal outfit for such shattering information.
She described the loss as the greatest sadness of her life, adding, “I don’t really know how to describe the feeling of losing someone.” Lucia had expected life-changing events to come with some warning.
Desperate Calls and Enduring Grief
In the shock of the moment, Lucia attempted to call her father, hoping he would answer. When he did not, she realized the finality. “I hoped he would pick up, but naturally, he didn’t – he had, in fact, died. Never to be seen or heard from again,” she shared.
Overcome with grief, she called his number thousands of times, dissolving into sobs as she longed for his return. Each anniversary since 2015 has brought different stages of grieving. “The pain has become less excruciating, less consuming. Instead, it feels more distant – still tender and present, but not the beast that it used to be,” Lucia reflected.
A decade later, she has learned to live alongside her grief, to embrace, nurture, and protect it.
Family Memories and Tributes
The post featured cherished throwback photos and videos, including Angus cradling baby Lucia and dancing joyfully with her as a toddler. Snaps also showed siblings Hamish, 25, James, 23, and Sybella, 17, enjoying time with their father.
“It’s hard to put into words how much losing my dad has taught me about the world,” Lucia captioned. “In some ways, it feels like yesterday he was here and in others, it’s hard to imagine a world where he existed. 11 years on, and I still miss him every day.”
Support and Background
Former Seven presenter Jess Rowe and journalist Melissa Hoyer offered support. “So beautiful, darling Lucia, thank you for sharing this with us,” Jess wrote. Mel added, “Articulated so beautifully – what a proud dad he would certainly be.”
Angus, who divorced Antonia Kidman in 2007, had remarried Prue Fisher in March 2011. He suffered the cardiac arrest en route to the hospital.
