It was one of those very rare moments to happen to a family and it came to the family of “Star Wars” actress Carrie Fisher and her actress mother Debbie Reynolds.
The mother and daughter actresses passed away within one day of each other. Carrie Fisher died on December 27, four days after suffering from a fatal heart attack on December 23. She was 60 years old. Her 84-year-old mother Debbie Reynolds died of a stroke on December 28, details Time.
As fans and observers have speculated all along, the mother found it too difficult to accept the death of her daughter that she also followed suit, though unintentionally of course.
It was the half-sisters of Carrie, Joely and Trisha Fisher, who confirmed that they knew all along that Debbie Reynolds would not be able to survive her daughter’s death.
Joely and Tricia are the daughters of Eddie Fisher and actress Connie Stevens, his third of five wives.
Eddie’s first wife was Debbie Reynolds, the mother of his only other children, Carrie and Todd. Eddie left Reynolds shortly after she gave birth to their son Todd so he could be with the “Singin’ in the Rain” actress’ best friend, Elizabeth Taylor.
He later married Taylor and when that union ended in divorce, he went on to wed Stevens.
Eddie’s pattern of abandonment was something that brought his four children closer together, despite the decade age difference Joely, 49, and Tricia, 48, had with Carrie and their 48-year-old half-brother Todd.
Tricia explained that Eddie was an amazing, charismatic man but that did not change the fact that all four of his children grew up without a father.
They did still love the man though said Tricia, who explained her late father’s allure.
A premonition of Reynolds’ death
Joely Fisher revealed in an interview that she had a premonition that Debbie was not going to survive Carrie’s heart attack and it later turned out to be true, reports the Daily Mail of UK.
Joely and Trisha spoke about the final days of their half-sister in an interview with “Good Morning America” just one week after they stood at her bedside and said their goodbyes just moments before she passed away.
They said that it was a difficult time for the family as they gathered at the UCLA Medical Center over Christmas weekend with Debbie Reynolds, her brother Todd, and Carrie’s daughter Billie Lourd.
And it was not just Carrie’s life that hung in the balance explained Joely, who said that she was certain Reynolds would be gone soon too if her daughter did not make it.
Unfortunately, Joely was right in her assessment of how the 84-year-old would respond, as she died just one day after Carrie.
Joely also revealed Reynolds’ despair towards the end, and the final heartbreaking plea she made just before losing her only daughter. Debbie kept saying that she wanted more time.
Tricia said she arrived at the hospital to find Carrie’s 24-year-old daughter Billie handling everything.
Carrie’s most amazing accomplishment
Photos taken at UCLA Medical Center shortly after Carrie’s heart attack showed Billie and Tricia sitting together outside the hospital, with the “Scream Queens” star being looked over by her mother’s half-sister.
According to Trisha, Carrie adored Billie, adding that the actress believed without a doubt that her daughter was the most amazing accomplishment of her life.
Joely said that she had been texting with Carrie just before she boarded her plane to London, returning home to Los Angeles where she was preparing to see her family over the Holidays.
She found some comfort in the fact that her sister would never be forgotten, and that her strength and wit would be on display for future generations to experience thanks to her writing and film roles.
Joely, who shot to fame with her role on Ellen DeGeneres’ sitcom “Ellen” and has since appeared on shows including “Til Death” and “Last Man Standing,” also remembered her sister, mentor, and hero Carrie in a piece she wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.