Billie Lourd Shares Impassioned Response to Carrie Fisher's Cause of Death
Carrie Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd wants her mother's death to encourage others to be open about their struggles with drug addition and mental illness, and to please seek help.
There are still mysteries surrounding Fisher's December 2016 death, even after a new report from the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. The Associated Press quoted from the coroner's release, alleging Fisher died from sleep apnea and a combination of other factors -- including a buildup of fatty tissue in the walls of her arteries.
According to People's copy of the report, Fisher had cocaine, methadone, ethanol, and opiates in her system, as well as a "remote exposure to MDMA." The report added, "The exposure to cocaine took place sometime approximately in the last 72 hours of the sample that was obtained." However, "Based on the available toxicological information, we cannot establish the significance of the multiple substances that were detected in Ms. Fisher's blood and tissue, with regard to the cause of death."
Overall, investigators are ruling Fisher's death "undetermined."
Fisher's daughter, actress Billy Lourd, shared a statement with People after the report came out:
"My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases.
She talked about the shame that torments people and their families confronted by these diseases. I know my Mom, she'd want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles. Seek help, fight for government funding for mental health programs. Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure. Love you Momby."
Fisher, 60, suffered a heart attack on a plane from London to Los Angeles on December 23, 2016. She later died in the hospital on Dec. 27, followed one day later by her mother Debbie Reynolds.
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