Brittany Murphy 1977-2009

2009 seemed to be the year of heartbreaking celebrity deaths, capped off in late December with a true shocker.

One month ago today, lovable, energetic actress Brittany Murphy, 32, died after collapsing in the bathroom of the Hollywood Hills home that she shared with her husband of two years, photographer Simon Monjack, and mother, Sharon Murphy.

She was pronounced dead of apparent natural causes at 10:04am on December 20, 2009 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after attempts to revive her failed.  An autopsy was performed (against Simon's wishes but in accordance with the law) at the Los Angeles Department of the Coroner. Foul play was not suspected. A final ruling on her cause of death is expected from the coroner within the next few weeks, after routine toxicology and tissue tests are completed. (Update 2/4/2010: Her death was ruled an accident caused by a combination of pneumonia, an iron deficiency and multiple legal drug intoxication ~ CNN.)

In an interview published today by the Associated Press, Simon and Sharon expressed dismay over "outright fabrications" in the press that point to drug abuse and an eating disorder. According to Simon, Brittany had a common heart conditon known as mitral valve prolapse where a heart valve fails to properly close, but that her doctors did not consider it life-threatening.

Regardless, Sharon revealed that her daughter indeed had a fear of dying, and that now waiting for official answers as to why she died has been, not surprisingly, a torturous ordeal.

Brittany's funeral was held four days after her death, on Christmas Eve, at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. Her family stated that the date was chosen because Christmas was her favorite holiday. The service was held at the cemetery's Church of the Hills, yards away from the grave of cinema cowboy and Christmastime icon, Gene "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Autry.

The service was a well-publicized private event with only about 20 people on the guest list. Not the place I wanted to be, holiday or not, but I was asked to help cover story for the New York Post, so off I went.

Mourners began arriving about a half hour before the appointed 3pm service start time, and the celebration of her life got underway shortly after. Aside from several police cars driving around the property and Forest Lawn security personnel stationed outside the church, activity at the cemetery appeared somewhat normal, including several other burial services and visitors placing wreaths and other decorations on graves.

While news cameras and press photographers camped out at the entrance, my friends Jayne Osborne and Mark Masek, author of Hollywood Remains To Be Seen, arrived and helped me to pass the time logging the arrivals from inside the property. We stationed ourselves in the section across the street from the church, near the grave that holds a portion of the cremated remains of INXS frontman, Michael Hutchence. A pair of obvious paparrazi were camped out in a tinted-window vehicle nearby, and were eventually booted out by police.

Brittany was buried around sunset as the service moved graveside, in the Bright Eternity section, Lot 7402, Grave 1.  Earlier in the day I hung out near that location and witnessed a cemetery crew preparing the ground. There I talked to some people who were visiting loved ones, and no one seemed aware that the fresh grave was for Brittany until a 4x4 zoomed up to the curb, driven by a man who whipped out a camera with a gigantic lens and shot off a round of about six pictures. "Someone should call the police," a woman visiting her father commented with disgust.

Not wishing to make enemies or offend anyone, I kept my little digital camera in my purse and slinked up to the top of the hilled section, where I sat undisturbed for about 30 minutes. These were the images I was able to capture for this story, showing the vault that would eventually hold her casket:

I returned to Forest Lawn two days later, on December 26, joined by my friend, Walter Acuña, and found her fresh grave adorned with flowers left from the funeral and patchwork sod typical of a new gravesite.  The small yellow poinsettia plant was my own contribution to the floral tributes, purchased on my way to the cemetery from one of the roadside sellers.

Another new grave above Brittany had been prepared for a burial that morning. In fact, the hearse and caravan arrived while I was taking photos, so I scooted away. Death goes on.

Would you like to pay respect to Brittany, too? Here's directions:

Bright Eternity is located toward the back of the cemetery, near Lincoln Terrace. Upon entering the main gates, drive straight ahead. At the first stop sign, you will see the Church of the Hills on the left. Stay on Memorial Drive and continue past the Old North Church until you come to the Court of Liberty which features a statue of George Washington. Before you come to Lincoln Terrace and the Hall of Liberty, turn right, on to Lane Bell Blue. Bright Eternity will be on your left side, Murmuring Trees section wil be on your right.

Brittany's grave is between a marble bench and a statue of a woman with a baby, which I found heart-achingly touching considering that one of her goals for the new year was to start a family. Look for the ground marker 7402. Her grave is to its immediate right.

 

This past Sunday, I joined my friends Karen Fogerty, Luis Mata and his nephew, Matt, on another exploration of Forest Lawn before the predicted rain storm this week. When we visited Brittany we found two floral gifts, one appears to be the yellow poinsettia I had left earlier, in not too bad of shape. Someone had also left a framed photograph from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" - an apparent nod to Brittany's performance in the 2006 romantic comedy "Love And Other Disasters" in which her character is obsessed with Audrey Hepburn.

That day we also got a chance to peek inside the Church of the Hills where her service had taken place. It was set up for a memorial service that afternoon but the attendant was kind enough to allow us a few minutes to look around. Here's what it looks like when you walk in the front doors:

The other night I caught "Summer Catch" on the HBO Family Channel, in which Brittany appeared in a supporting role opposite Freddie Prinze Jr. back in 2001.  A film now noteworthy to grave hunting triva buffs because Freddie's dad, comedian and "Chico and the Man" television star Freddie Prinze, was entombed in the Courts of Remembrance very near this church back in 1977.

A public memorial is currently being planned by Simon and Sharon for the end of February, at which time they will also officially launch the Brittany Murphy Foundation, a charitable organization aimed at supporting causes she believed in, particulary arts education for children.

For further reading, photographs and documentation about Brittany's death, check out my friend Scott Michaels' report on Findadeath.com.

Leave a virtual flower and message for Brittany on her memorial page at Findagrave.com.

Rest in peace, Miss Brittany. 

Tribute video courtesy of XtinaTheQueen.

Comments

[Shazza D]

You have a fantastic site Lisa, always a pleasure to read.

RIP Brittany x

[Mindy]

RIP Brittany. You will be missed

[Vegas Wedding Photographer]

too young to die

[Linda]

Brittany you were much to young to go so soon. I am so sorry for your husband and mother. You were such a fun actress and very beautiful. I pray your husband will find peace and acceptance. Im sure everyone in heaven is enjoying your wit and charm. May God Bless and Keep your loved ones in his care, until you can be together again. Sincerely Linda