How did you become a fan of Bobby Driscoll?
I first became familiar with Bobby Driscoll’s story in 2007 while at the age of 15, as a freshman in high school. What peaked my interest was wondering who voiced the character of Walt Disney’s Peter Pan, and ultimately Bobby’s name came up. Back then there was a website dedicated to Bobby where I first learned about him.
What made you want to create a website for Bobby Driscoll?
I decided to make a website dedicated to Bobby back in April 2016. I decided this after helping film a documentary and I felt like doing my own personal project on him with no other outside influences.
What is your history as a fan of Bobby Driscoll?
I first became familiar with Bobby Driscoll’s story in 2007 while at the age of 15, a freshman in high school. What peaked my interest was wondering who voiced the character of Walt Disney’s Peter Pan, and ultimately Bobby’s name came up. Back then there was a website dedicated to Bobby where I learned about him. Upon first visiting that website I felt this instant spiritual connection to the late actor. I didn’t know it then, but I felt this kinship with Bobby due to both my mother (meet at age 13 in 2004) and father (who I didn’t meet until age 21 in 2012) having drug addictions.
Over time, I’ve had some awestruck experiences in relation to Bobby. One time, I found personal photos of Bobby online in 2015, where one even contained his personal signature on a headshot photograph. Also in 2015, I was involved in a documentary about Bobby Driscoll; where I met a childhood friend of his.
Note: This was all before my father’s death which happened in 2016.
Do you have any personal connection to Bobby Driscoll?
Unfortunately I don’t have a personal connection to Bobby but I always felt spiritually connected since the age of 15, all the way back in 2007. Ultimately my own father succumbed to practically the exact same circumstances as Bobby in 2016, so that may be why I’ve felt his presence throughout my teenage-hood and my adulthood.
Your biological father is on Hart Island too?
Yes, my father Jason Gonzalez is buried on Hart Island, along with Bobby. I learned of my father’s passing in July of 2020. My father died a few years prior in November 2016; a mere month or so after I first made this website live under the domain bobbydriscoll.net in September 2016.
How did you feel when you first learned that your biological father died in a similar way to Bobby, who’s also now buried on Hart Island?
When I learned that my biological father died in very similar circumstances to Bobby I was in shock and disbelief (I still am, this is a very difficult trauma I still struggle with). I never thought my very own father would end up homeless like Bobby in the streets of New York, addicted to drugs, unclaimed, and ultimately buried on Hart Island, as the same exact scenario happened to Bobby decades before.
How do I find out more about Hart Island?
You can find out more about Hart Island by visiting these websites: Hart Island Wikipedia Page and The Hart Island Project
How do I access the website?
You can access the website by visiting either BobbyDriscoll.net (a domain which I acquired in April 2016), or BobbyDriscoll.com (the second domain to this website that I acquired in November 2019).
How can I contact you?
You can contact me in a number of various ways. Firstly you can email me personally at [email protected]. Furthermore, you can contact me on my social medias: Instagram and Youtube.