Andrew Lloyd Webber recalls his son Nicholas Webber laughing and quoting P.G. Wodehouse just one day before he died of stomach cancer at the age of 43.
In an emotional essay for The New York Times, written “just days” after Nick’s March 25 passing in hospice care, the legendary composer, 75, lovingly shared that the father-son duo were speaking in Wodehouse quotes.
“‘Here’s one for you,’ said Nick, laughing. He had surmised that, after bulletins from New York, his father, as Wodehouse might have put it, was less than gruntled,” Andrew wrote.
“‘Has anybody ever seen a dramatic critic in the daytime? Of course not. They come out after dark, up to no good.’ We hugged and said our goodbyes.”
“The next day, my son died,” the musical maven penned. “Nothing’s worse for a parent than the death of a child.”
Andrew himself announced via Twitter that his second-oldest of five children had died, telling his followers at the time, “I am shattered to have to announce that my beloved elder son Nick died a few hours ago in Basingstoke Hospital.”
The UK native added, “His whole family is gathered together and we are all totally bereft,” signing off, “-ALW.”
The “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats” and “Bad Cinderella” melodist was also the one who revealed Nick’s grave condition to the public on March 19.
“I am absolutely devastated to say that my eldest son Nick is critically ill,” the EGOT winner told Pvnew in a statement.
“As my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months and Nick is now hospitalized.”
Andrew added that he and his loved ones were “all praying that Nick will turn the corner” as he “bravely” fought with his “indomitable humor.”
Nick, whom Andrew shared with first wife Sarah Hugill, had been following in his famous dad’s footsteps and was even nominated for a Grammy after scoring the original cast recording of “Cinderella” in 2021.
But in an effort to be judged on his own merit, Nick “dropped the Lloyd bit” of his last name.
“I got some stuff on the radio, so I thought, ‘OK, I’m obviously not a complete idiot,'” the late composer told The Telegraph in 2011.
“Then I thought, ‘Hang on, if other people are prepared to work with me without the surname, then maybe I should just get on with it.'”
