Fisher emceed the event, which featured songs, dance routines, a speech from Dan Aykroyd and an appearance from Star Wars droid R2-D2.
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The memorial included a personalised song written by James Blunt, who was close to Carrie, as well as a performance of Singing In The Rain by a modern dance troupe.
Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds are being remembered by the fans who adored them.
Aykroyd recalled how he once saved Fisher’s life, applying the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge a Brussels sprout.
“She had long conversations on the phone in my presence with Paul Simon with whom she was attempting to reconcile at the time of my relationship with her”.
“[Carrie] was always my princess”, Todd added.
Two dresses that Reynolds wore on screen and her honorary Oscar were also on display.
Hundreds of fans – some wearing “Star Wars” attire – attended the memorial.
Ruta Lee said of Debbie, “She was, without a doubt, the most generous human being I ever met or ever hoped to meet”. Fisher struggled with addiction and mental illness, which she candidly described in books and interviews. After an opening film that was an ode to Fisher’s “Star Wars” role, a working R2D2 unit came on stage, mournfully beeped and parked next to a director’s chair with Fisher’s name on it. Everyone’s favorite space robot “wept” until Todd Fisher knelt down to comfort him. Crystal Jackson drove from Arizona with her daughter Heather and her 4-year-old and 2-year-old granddaughters “to share this experience with so many other people who loved Debbie and Carrie, too”. Todd Fisher, son of Debbie and brother to Carrie, shared a very personal story from after his sister’s passing on December 27, 2016.
“When Carrie died, my mother chose to change her plans a bit”, he said. “I know this takes a lot of effort, I’m glad they’re letting us grieve with them”, said fan Stefanie Vance. “It ripped my heart out”.
“It’s important because my mom raised me on ‘Star Wars, ‘” said Heather Jackson, 24, who drove five hours from Bullhead City, Arizona, to attend the memorial. It might be tougher even, you know… “I’m here to let you go'”. “And then she was gone”.
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“I thought that we were just going through these events just like one would go back through an estate”, Todd continued. “She’s dealing with two very big losses”, he told Entertainment Tonight.
