Randy Troy

Barbara Troy, my mother, is a One Piece character now 💙🏴‍☠️ Be sure to pause on the newspaper in One Piece Season 2 Episode 5 to see an on-screen "One Piece-ified" tribute to my mother's life. My mom bought me my first volume of #OnePiece in 2003 and watched as I maintained being a fan over the years. She knew exactly what the story meant to me and got to see the first season air, loved it, wore T-shirts supporting the show, and was sure to tell anyone who came into her bar to watch every episode and get ready for Season 2 to see what her son was helping write. I have no doubts that I gravitated to One Piece precisely because of her, because I admired how inclusive Eiichiro Oda's story was for differently abled people. It was the first story I saw with characters that had parental figures like mine. See, my mother lost her leg and mobility in her arm when I was young, but just like all of the strong-willed characters in One Piece who continually push, smile, and laugh through adversity, Mom never gave up. Even when told straight to her face, she'd never walk again. In the same way "never" and "no" wouldn't work for Luffy, Barbara Troy learned to walk again-- and even dance, but most important of all, she laughed. A lot. Whenever I'd be feeling down, I'd look to her, see her smiling through everything, and it would put me back on track. She inspired me the same way Luffy and the Straw Hats inspire others, and I'm so proud to see her name up there. I know she'd get a real kick out of it. I sure do. Special thanks to the showrunners for offering me this space to honor her, easily one of the most generous and meaningful acts anyone has ever done for me, not only in this business, but ever. And the biggest thanks of all will (of course) always go out to Mom, whose immeasurable love, support, and determination were always my compass-- and even though those don't work in the Grand Line, I've got an Eternal Pose now that points right to her. 😁🏴‍☠️💙

#Blue🌊