Family bids Heath farewell
2008-02-09 08:02
Perth - Hollywood star Heath Ledger was farewelled at a ceremony in his hometown of Perth in western Australia on Saturday almost three weeks after he was found dead in his New York apartment.
More than 500 mourners gathered to remember the 28-year-old at a ceremony at an exclusive girls' school, which will be followed by a private funeral attended by only 10 of the actor's closest friends and relatives.
Ledger is expected to be laid to rest next to his grandparents at a family plot in Perth's Karrakatta cemetery, with mourners then attending a sunset wake overlooking the city's Cottesloe beach, one of his favourite surfing spots.
Ledger's former fiancée Michelle Williams arrived at the ceremony supported by the actor's sister Kate. The former couple's two-year-old daughter, Matilda, was not seen at the funeral, which was conducted amid tight security.
Tight security
Williams and Ledger's family arrived for the service in a convoy of four black BMWs escorted by police.
Shortly before the funeral, Ledger's father Kim appealed for a massive media pack that has been outside the family home in Perth to respect the privacy of the actor's grieving relatives.
"It's a pretty sad time and we are finding it difficult to cope by ourselves," Ledger told reporters. "The funeral will be very, very private and there will only be 10 people there, immediate family and nobody else."
Ledger said the family appreciated the massive outpouring of grief from the public over his son's death, and the support they had received from family and friends.
US stars in mourning
Ledger's family arrived in Perth earlier this week after two weeks in the United States, where they held a Hollywood memorial service in Los Angeles, a private family service in New York and visited his Manhattan residence.
Ledger was seen as a rising star in Hollywood and his death on January 22 sent shockwaves through the film industry. His memorial service in Hollywood drew an A-list of mourners including Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes.
The New York chief medical examiner's office on Wednesday released a toxicology report showing he died of accidental intoxication caused by a cocktail of painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs.
Jake Gyllenhaal, who co-starred with Ledger in the critically-acclaimed gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain was this week reported to be planning to attend the funeral but has not yet been seen in Perth.