As an interest to Heath Ledger fans, who are following the events since his sudden death back on January 22, I have put together an overview of his funeral service. Many people flew from all over to join in the wake, which was held for those not attending the service, and for those of you who wish they could have been there, and will miss him on the silver screen, this article is for you.
After a private ceremony in New York, two memorial services in LA with 1000 studded starts attending, Heath's Funeral Service was held in Perth Australia, with an outpouring of emotion, from his family, close friends, and after a 90 minute service, he was taken away with a minimum of 10 attending.
After a long emotional day, the mourners who attended the wake and funeral, including Eskimo Joe band members, Cate Blanchette, Super Model Gamma Ward, (and maybe Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, it's not confirmed if they were there.) Gathered at Heath's favorite spot, a surf club called Cottesloe Beach, along with Heath Ledger's family, poloticians, school friends, and the community, waited until sunset, then they did something extraordinary.
They all, dressed in their best, stripped down to their underware and went cheering into the sea.
They decided that Heath would have wanted them to smile, he would have wanted it that way, so they decided to go for a dive into the sea. Kind of like skinny dipping, with your undies on.
Even Michelle Williams, who was emotionally wrecked all day, had to laugh when they pulled her along, while in her stunning cream dress, and coaxed her into the surf.
The events from earlier of the day, start with the ceremony.
Mourners, who were requested to show ID at the door, received the service bulletin which read.
‘This room is filled with the love we all felt for a great friend who will be missed by all of us.'
"We want to thank those of you who took care of him and participated in his beautiful life."
Comments after the service described the service as emotional, moving and at times funny as it celebrated Heath Ledger's life.
Prior to the Service Heath's father Kim made a statement to them, expressing his understanding of how far they came to cover his son's funeral.
"I know that a lot of you have travelled from all around the world to take footage of as much as you can of our ceremony for Heath," Mr Ledger said.
The press was reportedly quite respectable to Heath Ledgers' family, and Heath's father was gracious to them as well.
"I just ask you if you wouldn't mind to respect our privacy," he said.
"The funeral will be very, very private. There will only be 10 people there, immediate family and nobody else."
The reporters were permitted to take photos prior to the ceremony. Heath Ledger's daughter Matilda, and actor Michelle Williams were in the front line with Heath's family. Oscar Winning Actress Cate Blanchett, Super Model Gemma Ward, members from the band Eskimo Joe, amoung a large group of Australian actors attended.
Australian actors Bryan Brown, Michael Caton, Rose Byrne, Shane "Kenny" Jacobsen and Joel Edgerton and footballer Ben Cousins attended the funeral service amid tight security in Perth.
And it wasn't confirmed if Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban attended, they are both reportedly in Australia, with Nicole filming and growing a babybump, however, it's unclear if they attended.
As traditional to Australia, the ceremony opened with a didgeridoo playing, and music played, was Heath's favourite song by Bob Dylan, The Times Are A Changing.
Cate Blanchett read a eulogy about the happy times she and Heath had spent together.
Heath's sister, Kate spoke about how close she felt to her younger brother, and her parents Kim, and Sally, also paid a tribute to their son.
Heath's father had given a statement to the press, that may be of interest to Heath Ledger fans.
"It's a pretty sad time and we're finding it difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone cope with everybody around the world," Mr Ledger said. Having said that we do really appreciate the outpouring and the emotional support from all over the world, which, suffice to say, we're luckier than most families, most families that are in our position, our grieving position, don't have that kind of support.
"So thank you all very much."
"That's all I've got to say."
Ledger's family were very warm and caring about Michelle Williams and her daughter Matilda, mourners watched family montages about Matilda, Ledgers two year old daughter, with his former fiancé Williams.
His family and Williams left by a side entrance before going to Fremantle Cemetery, where it is understood they held a small, private cremation service while the other mourners gathered for a wake at a popular beachside restaurant in Cottesloe.
One of the mourners said the service was emotional, moving and at times funny as it celebrated Ledger's life.
His family and Williams left by a side entrance before going to Fremantle Cemetery, where it is understood they held a small, private cremation service while the other mourners gathered for a wake at a popular beachside restaurant in Cottesloe.
Heath was found dead on January 22, 2008, in his New York apartment. Ellen Borakove, the spokeswoman for the medical examiner, revealed in a statement. "Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine," The drugs are the generic names for the OxyContin painkiller, the anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax, and the sleep aids Restoril and Unisom. Hydrocodone is an alternative name for ibuprofen.
Heath was best known for his Academy Award in Brokeback Mountain, which he shared with Michelle Williams, and since the two had been an item up until last fall. Heath also is known for playing the role of Mel Gibson's son in the Patriot, where Mel had picked Heath out of a crowd of 500, in a casting session for the part. He also in Casanova, A Knight's Tale, Brother's Grimm, and soon to be released "The Joker,' in The Dark Knight, in the Batman Sega, and next year in 2009 his final movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, directed by Terry Gilliam.
Rest in Peace Heath, you're finally home.
With Love
Sacreeta
