Longtime friend of WOW Richard Glatzer, who wrote and directed Still Alice with husband Wash Westmoreland, died yesterday after a four-year battle with ALS. He was 63.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Glatzer and Westmoreland adapted Still Alicefrom a novel by Lisa Genova. Shortly before they took on the project in 2011, Glatzer was diagnosed with ALS, and his condition rapidly deteriorated. Still, he never missed a day of filming.

At the end, Glatzer was able to “speak” only by tapping the big toe of his right foot on a specially designed iPad.

Glatzer and Westmoreland met in 1995 and married in 2013.

“I am devastated,” Westmoreland said Tuesday in a statement. “Rich was my soulmate, my collaborator, my best friend and my life. Seeing him battle ALS for four years with such grace and courage inspired me and all who knew him.

“In this dark time, I take some consolation in the fact that he got to see Still Alice go out into the world. He put his heart and soul into that film, and the fact that it touched so many people was a constant joy to him.

“Thank you to everyone for this huge outpouring of love. Richard was a unique guy — opinionated, funny, caring, gregarious, generous and so, so smart. A true artist and a brilliant man. I treasure every day of the short 20 years we had together.

“I cannot believe he has gone. But in my heart and the hearts of those who loved him, he will always be alive.”

Condolences to Wash from everybody at World of Wonder.

From Fenton Bailey: Richard was an amazing person especially the way he and Wash handled his illness with a grace and honesty that transforming something so awful into something inspiring. That kind of larger-than-life generosity is humbling and unforgettable.

From Randy Barbato: All of our love and well wishes to his amazingly talented and loving partner Wash.