The Tragic Passing of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

On December 23, 2016 Carrie Fisher was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack in the last fifteen minutes of her flight back to Los Angeles. After four days in intensive care, on December 27, Fisher died in the hospital. The next day, while planning the funeral for her daughter, Carrie Fisher’s mother Debbie Reynolds suffered a severe stroke and was hospitalized. She died soon after. Fisher and Reynolds were known for being incredibly close ever since Reynolds separated from Fisher’s father, Eddie Fisher, and one of the last things Reynolds said before she died was “I want to be with Carrie.”

Carrie Fisher had a long and varied career, but she is most famously known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. She stared in all three of the original movies, the first sequel, and will star in the second movie in the sequel franchise. It will be the last movie she will ever be seen in. She has also starred in Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally.

Fisher was known for her struggle against drug addiction and bipolar disorder, and her frank openness about these struggles. In fact, while part her ashes were buried with her mother at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, part were put into a large novelty prozac pill. She has written several biographies addressing her addiction and other challenges in her life, including Postcards From the Edge, Wishful Drinking, and her most recent: The Princess Diarist, which was released in 2016. Carrie is survived by her daughter, Billie Lourd.

Debbie Reynolds is one of the most beloved actresses of our time, and has been acting and singing since the 1940s. She’s starred in everything from Singing in the Rain to Will and Grace to Halloweentown. She won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and has been nominated for five Golden Globes, two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, and both a Daytime and Primetime Emmy award, among others. Debbie Reynolds has been a household name for generations, and her loss was felt by fans of all ages. Debbie is survived by her granddaughter, Billie Lourd, and her son, Todd Fisher.

Reynolds and Fisher have been long known for their incredibly close relationship. In January, 2017 an HBO-produced documentary starring the two of them was released. The movie, Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, is all about their relationship and the challenges they’ve had to overcome in their lifetimes. Bright Lights was shot primarily in 2014 and 2015, and was set to be released on what turned out to be a week before their deaths. It has incredible reviews and is said to be both sad and touching.

On January 6, 2017 the lights on Broadway were darkened for a minute in tribute to Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. This is one of many tributes that have been carried out for both of these incredible women. They will continue to live on in our hearts and minds.