Emotional Fans and a Few Famous Friends Say Goodbye to Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

Jared CowanCulture

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Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds left us three months ago, and let's face it, we'll never get over their sudden passings. A private memorial took place on Jan. 5, but from the outset the family said that a public memorial would be planned for the fans who meant so much to both Fisher and Reynolds. That promise came to fruition on Saturday, March 25, when fans along with invited friends and family gathered at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills to celebrate the lives of two extraordinary women whose legacies reach far beyond the silver screen.

People began lining up in their cars at the cemetery gates well before 8 a.m. Once situated outside the Hall of Liberty, fans shared stories of flying long distances to be there or leaving home in the middle of the night to make the drive into L.A. Once inside the hall, musical performances, eulogies from family and friends — including Griffin Dunne and Dan Aykroyd — and even a visitor from a galaxy far, far away celebrated the lives of Fisher and Reynolds. It wasn't a memorial per se, said Fisher's brother and Reynold's son, Todd, because “the girls” would have wanted a show. Afterward, fans were invited to visit Reynolds' and Fisher's final resting place.

We were at Forest Lawn well before the gates opened and spent the day with the fans because, hell, we are fans.

All photos by Jared Cowan. Follow Jared on Twitter at @JaredCowan1.

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