Heath Ledger's Final Farewellby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 09 Feb 2008 05:38 PM A sunset plunge, drinks, and live music... they sound like the recipe for a typical beach party, not a post-funeral get together. But, those saying their final farewell to Heath Ledger will tell you the actor wouldn't have wanted it any other way. While the rest of the world spent the week focusing on the New York City Medical Examiner's report that revealed the 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" star died of an accidental mixture of prescription drugs, Ledger's family and friends took part in an emotional goodbye to the young father. The farewell consisted of three separate events beginning with a memorial at a boarding school in the actor's hometown of Perth, Australia. More than 300 people attended the service, which took place Saturday morning, including Ledger's parents, sister and former fiancée Michelle Williams. According to local papers, the two-hour tribute to Ledger featured numerous video montages set to some of the actor's favorite songs. But it wasn't until after the public memorial was over that the tears really began to flow. Reports say a small entourage of Ledger's closest family and friends left the mass gathering to take part in a more intimate service at Fremantle Cemetery, just outside Perth. It was there that Williams (minus the couple's 2-year-old daughter Matilda) reportedly read William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?") before tearfully falling into the arms of Ledger's sister. From there the mourners headed to one of Ledger's favorite spots--the Indiana Tea House on Cottesloe Beach, which boasts spectacular views of the ocean. Then, in what one mourner told a local reporter was a final tribute the actor, about 50 of Ledger's closest friends ran into the surf at sunset. Some women reportedly took the plunge in their black funeral dresses, while others stripped down to just their underwear and jumped into the ocean. Williams was reportedly watching the event unfold from the shore when she was briefly dragged into the water, then quickly enveloped in a group hug by dozens of mourners. Then, as the sun slowly dipped below horizon the group reportedly released Williams, linked arms, and watched in silence as the waves crashed along the beach where Ledger was said to have spent some of the happiest days of his life. Related Articles: Michelle Williams Copes with Loss Heath Ledger's Beverly Hills Memorial Service Heath Ledger's Death---What's Real and What's Rumor What of Michelle Williams and Ledger's Other Loves? Heath Ledger and Mary Kate Olsen More Than "Just Friends" Reaction to Heath Ledger's Death Celebrities and Sleeping Pills - Part One Celebrities and Sleeping Pills - Part Two Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantpopular culture tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags actor's death, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams Discuss this article
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