One man. A plethora of health issues. But despite those health issues, this man stayed optimistic no matter what the circumstances and he even went on to make lots of plans to engage with his friends. His name was Robert Wellman and he was the most ambitious adventurer I had the pleasure of knowing. I’ve been meaning to talk about him for quite some time now and I feel now that a year has passed since that one sad day, I am ready to share my experience of knowing Robert.
When I first saw him, we were getting suited up for our costumes at a studio in Burnaby for Deadpool 2. The first thing I noticed about him was his green hair and the heavy scars around his cheeks. We didn’t interact with each other, but we were in the same area, and he was engaging with another person who commented that his green hair seemed like an issue for chromakey environments. Robert chuckled as he agreed with that remark. He seemed pleasant enough, and on the days we were on set, he told some of us about how he had a few extra days and was one of the few to get involved in the big explosion scene. What I remembered very vividly was him and I sitting outside one early morning and talking about how our physiques were probably the reason we got chosen to do background. I showed him my skinny boney arms, and he showed me his afterwards, explaining how he was under 90 pounds. It was an interesting experience between us, and I felt it would be a one-time thing since a lot of people involved in this scene were of unique features and probably didn’t get a lot of work. But that wasn’t the case.
Another person I knew invited me to record some of his karaoke performances, and Robert happened to be there, wearing a leather jacket adorned with spikes on the shoulders. He just so happened to accompany my associate on inflatable keyboard. At first, he seemed a bit strict with me, but his mood quickly changed when I brought up the fact we met on Deadpool 2. Sometime later on, him and I did BG work on a Punjabi music video. Well, we didn’t interact that much but he paid close attention to me when I explained the payment methods they used. In the end, I don’t know how noticeable we were. The title for the song hadn’t even been decided yet, and to this day, I still don’t know where that music video is. All I know is that it took place at a bar in Vancouver.
More time passed, and I found myself running out of money, so I took a scare acting job at VHN to pay off a huge debt from travel expenses and to keep my writers paid. Robert was working there too, and we got stationed in the same section. Since he took my place while I was on break, we made a great connection together as I kept a cool head despite the fast pace and made sure the other employees were in line. It was quite an experience too. This time it was him telling people how the two of us were on Deadpool 2, and when I told him my birthday was that month (birthdays were being discussed amongst us and the other co-workers), Robert made sure to announce it in the work group chat. While doing so, he let everyone know my strong points as a scare actor calling me a hero. After our final day at VHN, we stayed connected on Facebook, and had small simple discussions. He offered me to join the BG casting agency he was under and I did so. I got some work from them, but the agency eventually shut down. We almost considered joining a new one in the future. Other discussions included him inviting me to a RNG 48 hour film shoot which I joined as an editor, inviting each other to events, and checking in on each other. One time he invited to an event he had in mind, a karaoke party at D6, so I invited several individuals who would be interested. One of them was my former writer Darren who got along well with Robert, and Robert instantly considered him a friend. That exact same night, Robert asked if I would be interested in living in a big house with him and some other film types. I agreed and was honoured he asked me. That brings me to the next adventure we did together.
Robert along with his girlfriend Alexis, me, and a few other individuals started looking for an appropriate place for all of us. Everyone except for Alexis ended up going separate ways, but Robert, Alexis, and I stuck together while hunting. Sometimes if we found something interesting, some of us would go to the place and check it out. Eventually, Robert decided he could settle for a 2-3 room basement suite, or less. Since I knew what he was looking for in a place, I would do a search for a suitable suite. Robert searched as well, and managed to find a place for himself just 20 minutes away from where I was. I found out the first time I came to visit. The reason being was because Robert had arrived back from the ER the night before and was so weak all he could do was text and needed me to pick some stuff up for an errand. He asked for two big bottles of Gatorade and I searched for the biggest size bottles according to store sites and even asked what flavour(s) he would like. He chose watermelon. I rushed to the Save-On, bought two big bottles, took a bus to a close enough spot and bolted down the road all the way to the end where the house was. Then I knocked on the door, where it was answered by one of the men who lived there. When I explained I was delivering an errand for Robert Wellman, he looked up the thin stairway to the second floor and called, “Hey, Rob? Your friend is here!” He then pointed me to the stairs, and I made my way up. There were two doors and I didn’t know which one it was. One of them was open and dimly lit showing a figure on a bed, so I took one step to get a closer look and he pointed to the other room. I knocked on the other door, but Robert didn’t answer. I had no choice but to go in and check. There he was, laying in bed, looking weak and miserable, the room barely lit up by the light through the window giving an ominous blue lighting for the environment. I gave him his bottles of Gatorade and he thanked me. The next day, he thanked me again even saying how he felt so much better. He found himself lucky to have such great roommates, the owner of the house being an expert at fixing computers, and the man across from Robert having experience as a chef. Robert felt it would be his forever home and was hoping that at least the other rooms could be available for me and Alexis in the future. Since I lived so close, he’d invite me more often. That’s what made us even closer and better friends than ever.
Sometimes I would come over to help him organize his belongings with some other friends of his and get him settled in. Other times, we would go on errands together, whether it be for himself or with/for his other housemates, who still trust me today. For the rarest of times, we’d go to bars for karaoke nights. His two favourites were Sailor Hagar’s Pub and Georgie’s Local. My favourite moment with him in that house was the day he made me Kraft Dinner lunch, and we ate together in the living room on the couch. That’s where he declared me his best friend. But after his passing, and seeing how many people were impacted by his outgoing personality, I believe that any friend of his who got along with him and enjoyed his company was also his best friend, and therefore he had lots of best friends.
Now as for his passing, he talked about it a lot. He knew his survivability to 45 wouldn’t be possible, as he mentioned in a few social media posts and flat-out told me once at the end of one of our adventures. But with all the plans he was making, and how positive he was, we always felt he’d be around forever. But his condition was getting worse. When I went house-hunting with him or when we were running an errand, he walked with a limp. The final night I was with him, he wanted to go to the post office to send a package of Star Wars figurines to a new online friend living in the States. I helped Robert with the sorting of those figurines and accepted the payment from the interested buyer via PayPal just days before then. We just had to head out for the evening and mail the box of cards and figurines. But Robert’s usual smoothie didn’t give him an energy boost as it usually did. He lay on a couch in the living room and asked me to bring him milk. I did his dishes as well since he was just too tired to do anything. I could sense something was wrong. When he went back up to his room to grab the box and some other things, I waited 5 minutes for him. 5 minutes became 10 minutes. 10 minutes became 20. The post office at Shoppers Drug Mart would close soon. I went up and knocked on the door. Robert apologized saying he had passed out and then decided he’d go by himself. He then asked me to e-transfer him $100, which I did. I messaged him that night about the transfer, and figured he’d answer the next day. He didn’t. Thanks to all that was going on, my orthodontist appointments, film shoots, and helping out Robert, I was getting disoriented.
But just when I least expected it, I got the news. It was during a weekend of a RNG shoot just last year, and I was involved in Joel Reimer’s film, The3. While Joel and his lead actress Siana were in Mexico with Joel’s known associates who lived out there, I was being directed by his good friend, Nolen Scott. I came a little early to the shoot, and even did some low-profile PA work before my scene in a cafe as a nerdy CIA agent who was partially inspired by members of my own family. Shortly after I was wrapped, I logged into Facebook to check for updates. There were a few notifications and a message. Expecting it to be Robert, I checked that first only to discover it was actually, his girlfriend Alexis who had only messaged 20 minutes before my login saying that the police called her that morning and said that Robert had passed away. I was devastated. I stuck with the team and they offered their condolences. I even stuck with them all the way to the end of the shoot and got involved in a group photo and a group hug. One person drove me home where I had dinner. The next morning, I had a brunch event with other people for The Assembly. The meeting was straight-forward and I went to Robert’s residence right after, where the other housemates clued me in on what happened the night before. Robert was groaning and whining but whenever he was offered help, he’d deny it. It seemed he didn’t want to be bothered. Alexis and I think that maybe he knew it was time for him to pass or he was ready to let go in a way. According to his family, the coroner’s report said he died from a heart attack brought on by his Crohn’s. Ever since that particular day, I’ve been greatly affected. When I attended his memorial viewing, the sight of him in a coffin put a sharp pain in my chest that lasted a week. I haven’t felt like singing karaoke lately and every time I see someone or something that resembles him, it causes me to stim. However, I try to stay positive like he did. I still talk about Robert to keep his legacy alive. A memorial picture of him has been my Macbook’s background ever since over a year ago. Even though we had lots of great plans for cosplay, adventures, and applying to a bg agency, none of those things are going to happen, but it won’t stop me from being as adventurous as he was. Robert continues to inspire me even though he’s long gone because in my opinion, he’s still with us. Every time I book a role or get money from a Behr commercial renewal, I’m convinced it’s him working miracles. I hope anyone else who knew him is reaching their goals and getting lots of luck as well. He’s making it happen and there’s nothing else that can convince me it’s some other source. Later on this year, I plan to visit his former residence because the house owner and I are still on good terms and he says I can come by anytime, especially since I helped clear out the room and bring extra milk over. Since I know Robert was looking forward to my adult braces coming off, I plan for my first meal to be a burger from that particular house owner so Robert’s spirit can witness me brace-free enjoying a meal at what would’ve been his forever home.
