Andy Whitfield
The Whitfield family came to live in Bull Bay in 1976 and Andy attended Amlwch Primary School and then Syr Thomas Jones until the age of 18; he moved to Sheffield to attend University for 4 years where he attained a degree in Civil Engineering.
In 1999 he and Vashti moved to Sydney to follow their dreams – they were staying in NY close to the Twin Towers the morning the planes struck and were trapped in the City for several days, this event had a significant effect on them and how they viewed life. On returning to Sydney they married. Andy managed to secure an amazing job with Ove Arup becoming head of rope access for them and abseiling to check the iconic roof tiles on the Sydney Opera House and facades of multi-storey buildings on the harbour.
Andy was scouted for TV and magazine commercials which lead to small parts on Australian TV. Several trips to LA eventually led to roles with film companies culminating in the lead of Spartacus with Starz. Filming in New Zealand meant re-location for the family which now included two small children.
Three seasons were proposed for Spartacus but at the end of the first season Andy became unwell and the devastating diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma made. After remission of a few months it returned, and he made the decision to travel to Rishikesh in northern India to follow traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. He returned to Sydney to undergo western treatment but unfortunately, he succumbed 12 months later and passed away on 12/09/11 – an exciting but short life lived to the full.
