Epsom man Craig Dennington (44) revealed today that he remains emotionally scarred by the tragic death of Artax, the horse from The NeverEnding Story. Despite the movie being released in 1984, the scene of Artax sinking into the Swamp of Sadness continues to haunt Craig, who claims it was his “first experience of grief.”
“I didn’t even cry when Nana passed,” admitted Craig, visibly emotional. “But Artax? Mate, that hit differently.”
The trauma resurfaced over Christmas when Craig’s niece suggested watching the family classic. “I had to excuse myself,” he said. “I told everyone I was checking the roast, but really, I was in the garage, ugly, crying into a slab of Carlton Dry.”
Craig’s wife, Melanie, confirmed his decades-long struggle. “He gets choked up every time we pass a horse paddock,” she said. “We can’t even go to the Melbourne Cup or listen to Daryl Braithwaite.”
Experts believe Craig’s lingering sadness stems from The NeverEnding Story’s bleak themes and a lack of access to therapy in the ‘80s.
“It’s just not fair,” Craig lamented. “Artax didn’t even have a chance.”
Artax, rest in peace. You may be gone, but you’ll never sink from our hearts.
