A Family Matter

Heron is the former husband of Dawn and father of Maggie. He was 25 when he and Dawn were divorced; they had been married for less than two years. Heron raised his daughter primarily by himself, and they have remained very close. He was always protective of her, although not overly so. He is a gentle man of few words, and he does not like to create a fuss about things, preferring instead to follow the rules. He was never sent to the headmaster for punishment at school, he does not drive too fast, and he is cautious and measured in all that he does, traits that align with how passively he accepts the legal and social antigay bias his wife faces after learning she is a lesbian. Her identity was deemed unacceptable, so he enables the process of Dawn being entirely removed from Maggie’s life

At the age of 65, Heron learns that he has terminal cancer, but he finds it difficult to both process the news himself and tell his daughter about the diagnosis. Upon being told, he goes to the grocery store, puts himself in a freezer, and stays there until someone finds him. This symbolizes how avoidant he is, frozen in time as he refuses to face conflict or heartbreak.