Russell Crowe shared a touching tribute to the late Sinéad O’Connor following the sudden news of her death at age 56 on Wednesday.
The “Gladiator” actor, 59, recalled a likelihood encounter he had with the singer outside a pub in Ireland last 12 months in a moving essay posted on his social media.
While working in Ireland — O’Connor’s homeland — last 12 months, the actor said he was having drinks with pals outside a pub in Dalkey, situated around half-hour from the capital city of Dublin, when a fascinating woman walked by him.
“Puffy parker zipped to the nape and her bowed head covered in a shawl,” he wrote of the “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer.
“There under streetlights with mist on my breath, I met Sinéad. She looked in my eyes, and uttered with disarming softness, ‘oh, it’s you Russell,’” the actor recalled.
“She got here with us back to the table and sat within the cold and ordered a hot tea. In a conversation without fences we roamed through the recent Dublin heatwave, local politics, American politics,” wrote Crowe, who was born in Recent Zealand and grew up in Australia.
“The continuing fight for indigenous recognition in lots of places, but particularly in Australia, her warm memory of Recent Zealand, faith, music, movies and her brother the author,” Crowe continued.
“I had the chance to inform her she was a hero of mine.”
Crowe went on to explain the sheer impact the “amazing” singer had on him following the random encounter that night.
“When her second cup was taking over the night air, she rose, embraced us all and strode away into the fog-dimmed streetlights,” he wrote. “We sat there the 4 of us and variously expressed the identical thing. What a tremendous woman. Peace be along with your courageous heart Sinéad.”
O’Connor’s death comes 18 months after the January 2022 suicide of her 17-year-old son, Shane.
“My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to finish his earthly struggle today and is now with God,” she tweeted on the time.
“May he rest in peace and should nobody follow his example. My baby. I like you a lot. Please be at peace.”
