Disney Cowboy Battling Leukemia Villain

Born and raised in a small farming town in Nebraska, Troy Gustafson went to college at the Kansas City Art Institute, where he graduated with a BFA in Fine Art and Illustration.  Shortly after, he was hired to Walt Disney Feature Animation (WDFA), where he worked on such classics as The Lion King (1994), Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Pocahontas, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

For the past 14 years he has been a professor of 2D Animation, teaching the next generation of animators and filmmakers who are now working on everything from Frozen to The Avengers.  More importantly, he is one of the kindest (also possibly the toughest) professors on campus, and he now needs our help.

Troy has been diagnosed with high-grade Myelodysplastic Leukemia, a rare cancer affecting both his bones marrow and lungs.  Fortunately, Troy has excellent health insurance through his employer that will cover a generous portion of his medical expenses, but as anyone who has gone through a serious medical crisis knows, there are still costs involved.

Our hope with this fundraiser is to raise enough money to support the Gustafson family, so Troy can focus on getting well.  If you are a former student who still looks fondly on your sketchbooks from Action Analysis, or a character artist whose mastery of turnarounds is thanks to Troy's classes, or simply a fan of the many classic films he's helped bring to life, we hope you can spare a few dollars to help this wonderful artist who has touched so many lives through his art and teaching.