Where Love Lives On: The Story of CraiggerBear.

A little bear with a big heart and an even bigger story.

Meet CraiggerBear a hand-crocheted bear created in memory of Craig Goodman, a man who made the world feel warmer just by being in it. Each Craiggerbear carries a message of love, resilience, and hope and a piece of Craig’s beautiful spirit.

Craig had a way of loving people with his whole heart, not just the ones closest to him, but total strangers too. He believed in kindness as a way of life. He helped when no one asked, he listened when no one spoke, and he gave the kind of hugs that made you feel, for a moment, that everything would be okay.

He was endlessly patient, quietly positive, and full of wonder. He believed in living fully, in chasing the impossible, and in finding joy even when things got hard. And even in his darkest moments, Craig could still be the funniest person in the room. His spirit never dimmed; it just shone through in different ways.

I remember one day at the cancer center, sitting in the waiting room before an important doctor appointment. The air felt heavy, filled with worry, fear, and quiet stares. I was freaking out inside, bracing for results. But Craig… Craig could sense the weight in the room. Instead of sinking into it, he started goofing around. He cracked gentle jokes, smiled at strangers, made other patients laugh just enough to help them forget the fear for a moment. Even while waiting for his own results, he put his worries aside to care for others.

That was who he was.

Craig lived with a lightness that lifted everyone around him.

And in 2019, after a long and courageous battle with a brain tumor, we came to the final chapter of his life.

October 14, 2019.

The morning was quiet, but my heart was anything but. Craig had been in a coma-like state for a few days, his breathing uneven and heavy. I had been giving him morphine every hour for more than a day, trying to ease the struggle, trying to help him stay comfortable.

That morning, around 10 a.m., he stopped breathing.

Just for a moment. But then, he came back.

I called hospice. I told them I wanted to bring him in. The nurse on the line gently warned me: “If we transfer him now… he might pass in the ambulance.” And I remember saying, half-breaking, half-joking, “Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad, Craig would have a story to tell.”

Even then, I wanted his exit to be a story worth telling.

The transport arrived at 1:30. As they wheeled him out, I whispered to myself, This will be the last time he’s home. My heart broke. But I couldn’t bear to watch him suffer through another breath. When we arrived at the hospice, the doctor looked at me with kind, knowing eyes. He said there was nothing more they could do. “Maybe 45 minutes,” he said. “If the kids want to say goodbye, now is the time.”

I called my mom to bring them.

While we waited, a social worker quietly walked in. In her hands were two soft teddy bears. She gently placed one in each of Craig’s hands, then stepped out to prepare them for the children.

At 3:08 p.m., just as the kids were walking up to the room, Craig took his last breath. I believe with all my heart he heard them coming… and chose to let go before they saw him that way. He protected them, even in his final moment.

The nurse quickly passed the bears to the kids and said, “These are from Daddy.” And from then on, they were lovingly called the Daddy Bears.

Those bears became everything. The kids held them when they were scared, clung to them when they cried, whispered to them when they didn’t have words for the grief. They slept with them, traveled with them, grew with them.

And they still do.

Watching that… seeing the comfort and connection stitched into those little bears… sparked something in me.

That first bear, the Daddy Bear, planted the seed. I knew then I wanted to do more. So, I began designing a bear that carried Craig’s story in its stitches. A bear with a little scar that marked his incision. A bear with the heart burst symbol he always drew. A bear that could be a companion for children who had lost a parent or anyone who needed to feel just a little less alone.

That was the beginning of Craiggerbear.

Since then, I’ve personally hand-crocheted over 280+ Craiggerbears, each one made with my own two hands, often late at night, often through tears. Every stitch was a way to hold on to Craig, to pass on the love he gave so freely, and to offer comfort to someone who needed it most.

I’ve donated them to hospice centers, to grieving children, to families walking through pain I know all too well. Each one is stitched with care, filled with love, and made to bring comfort when words can’t.

Over time, Craiggerbear took on new meaning in new forms, each one a tribute not only to Craig’s story but to the strength of others, too. I created special editions: a superhero Craiggerbear to inspire courage, and a Pride Month Craiggerbear to celebrate love in all its colors. Each version carried Craig’s heartburst symbol and his legacy of kindness, resilience, and joy.

This Craiggerbear carries more than yarn — it carries a thank-you. A one-of-a-kind gift for the one who turned a personal story into something cosmic.

Months later, something beautiful happened: Craiggerbear found its way into the world of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. A small bear in a big universe, bringing a little light, a little love, and a whole lot of Craig into that world.

…And then, something extraordinary happened: Craiggerbear found its way into Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, a quiet tribute in a world of imagination. A small, courageous bear in a galaxy of heroes, carrying a little piece of Craig with it.

In the game, Craiggerbear appears once on each of the nine planets, an emotional treasure scattered across the universe. Players who collect all nine unlock the “UnBEARably Awesome” trophy. But for me, it was more than a collectible. It was a love letter stitched into the yarns of a digital galaxy, a gentle echo of Craig’s heart on every world.

• Corson V (Nefarious City): your first cozy discovery, sitting on a market stall - just like Craig, showing up quietly but meaningfully.

• Sargasso (Outpost L51): perched on Rivet’s couch, a moment of calm before the storm, much like the way Craig brought peace during chaos.

• Scarstu Debris Field (Zurkie’s): tucked on a box inside Zurkie’s bar, like a silent pause in the noise, reminding us to breathe.

• Savali (Urfdah Mesa): hidden near a floating platform, a tiny moment of sweetness during a rush, like the kind Craig always created.

• Blizar Prime (Blizon Mines): resting among junk, proving beauty and hope can be found even in broken places.

• Torren IV (Molonoth Gulch): surrounded by TV screens at a weapons stall, tenderness nestled among tech and tools.

• Cordelion (Kedaro Station): peeking through the snow near an elevator, a small warmth in a cold world.

• Ardolis (Pirate Base): waiting at the end of the Pirate Trials, a soft reward for the brave, just like Craig’s unwavering spirit.

• Viceron (Zordoom Prison): resting on a bench in a holding cell, a symbol of care even in life’s hardest places.

Each Craiggerbear carries his kindness, his humor, his hope. Their placement across the galaxy isn’t just clever and it’s poetic! Just like Craig, they show up where you least expect them… and leave you feeling just a little more whole.

It never would have happened without the incredible team at Insomniac Games, who poured their heart and soul into bringing this little bear to life. They didn’t just include a character; they honored a person. A story. A legacy. For that, I am endlessly grateful.

Because Craig believed in the impossible, and I think he’d love that his story is still doing what he always did best, helping others feel just a little lighter, a little stronger, and a little more loved.

Beyond appearing across the galaxies in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Craiggerbear was also featured as a special digital collectible in PlayStation Stars, Sony’s loyalty program. From early May through May 31, players had the chance to collect six unique Craiggerbear variations, each one a tribute in its own right.

Image courtesy of Insomniac Games. All rights belong to their respective owners. Used here with appreciation as part of a tribute to Craig.

When claimed, a message appeared in the Collectibles menu:

“Mysterious plush bears that seem to show up on every world. They are said to carry the optimism, kindness, and creativity of a fallen hero missed by his comrades.”

But this tribute went even deeper. For every Craiggerbear collected, Sony Interactive Entertainment made a donation to the Starlight Foundation, a nonprofit that supports children’s medical care , an organization close to our hearts and chosen by our family.

These weren’t just digital keepsakes. They became part of something real, spreading comfort, honoring Craig’s spirit, and making a difference one bear at a time.

Almost six years later, the sadness still lingers. Some days, it feels like I just saw Craig, that he might walk through the door or smile from across the room. Even seeing his picture can bring it all rushing back, like no time has passed at all. Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. But through Craiggerbear, his warmth, his love, and his light live on. It’s more than a bear, it’s a quiet reminder that even in the deepest loss, something beautiful can take root. Thank you to everyone who’s helped carry his story forward. You’ve made the world a little softer, a little braver, and a lot more loved.

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To Insomniac Games, thank you very much for pouring your heart and soul into honoring Craig in a way that means more than words can say.

And to those who find a Craiggerbear, whether in a game, a hospice room, or held tight in a child’s arms — may you feel a little of the warmth, strength, and light that Craig gave so freely.

“I received the most precious gift today 💜. This guy represents strength and the mindset of keep living life! I am fighting a battle every single day and most don’t know how hard I am fighting. This means so much to me. Someone taking the time to say “I see you, I know it’s hard. Keep fighting 💜💜💜. As you can see, he has had a hard surgery too! We share the same scar! Thank you so much, I will hold this close to my heart!” — Vanessa R.

This is for you, Craig.

Your light lives on. 💛