Heath Ledger - the grieving thread

[Mikaela]

I'm not coming to the aid of the massuse at all here, but it was my understanding Heath had already gone by the time she got there?

Well, it's impossible to know when exactly he died. One news report said he was "cold" when he was found - but they also went on about pills strewn about, rolled-up dollar bills and lots of other garbled non-truths or half-truths, so all that has to be taken with a grain of salt. More like a kilo of salt.

The point is that the right thing to do if one finds someone not breathing and in cardiac arrest, is to call 911 and start CPR without delay, and to don't stop till the ambulance arrives. People have been saved and are alive and well today even if they were "dead" - if those who found them knew what to do and did it right away, and professional medical tems got on the scene quickly to re-start the heart...

So although it's impossible to say it would have made a difference if this woman had done the right thing, it's also impossible to say it wouldn't have made a difference - at least at this stage of what we know. And that is an uncomfortable thought.

[opinionista]

I posted this before but I'm not sure if anyone read it. A lot of news rooms have access to the emergency services radio. All newspapers have a section for police news. That is crime, accidents, suicides and the like. Everytime someone makes a call to 911, the newsroom knows about it through the radio. I don't think they hear the actual call but the call the operator makes to the police, the ambulance and the firemen about whatever is going on.  I worked at a small spanish language newspaper in NYC and they had that radio so imagine the bigger ones like the Daily News, the New York Times. TMZ definitely has that radio.

Most celebrities know about it. I have been told that everyone works closely for any celebrity has to sing a confidentiality contract that means not just not talking about their private lives to the press but also that they are required to follow some silly protocol or procedure in order to ensure privacy. That includes not calling 911 right away. I think that's why the masseuse called Mary Kate Olsen and she sent her private security people to assist Heath instead of calling 911.

The masseuse called 911 shortly before 3.30 pm. By 4.30 pm there was already a mob outside Heath's building probably because the press found out about it through the radio. They know where celebrities live. Maybe they didn't know at first it was Heath but they knew it was someone important. That's precisely what the masseuse and Mary Kate Olsen were trying to avoid. I agree that she should've called 911 right away but we don't know the constraints the masseuse was in when she found Heath passed out, so lets cut her some slack. I think it was a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Granted she might have saved Heath life but also would've risked losing her job. The problem here is the system. I think the police should not grant the press so much access to information, and ban the use of such radios in the newsrooms.

[opinionista]

I had a look at the Dark Knight's homepage. This is the only thing there at present:

http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/HeathMemorial.html


I think it's very lovely. Simple, eloquent.
Dignified.

That made me cry! Thanks for posting Mikaela.

[loneleeb3]

That made me cry! Thanks for posting Mikaela.

Me too!
So freaking sad!

[Mikaela]

I posted this before but I'm not sure if anyone read it. A lot of news rooms have access to the emergency services radio. All newspapers have a section for police news. That is crime, accidents, suicides and the like. Everytime someone makes a call to 911, the newsroom knows about it through the radio. I don't think they hear the actual call but the call the operator makes to the police, the ambulance and the firemen about whatever is going on.  I worked at a small spanish language newspaper in NYC and they had that radio so imagine the bigger ones like the Daily News, the New York Times. TMZ definitely has that radio.

Most celebrities know about it. I have been told that everyone works closely for any celebrity has to sing a confidentiality contract that means not just not talking about their private lives to the press but also that they are required to follow some silly protocol or procedure in order to ensure privacy. That includes not calling 911 right away. I think that's why the masseuse called Mary Kate Olsen and she sent her private security people to assist Heath instead of calling 911.

The masseuse called 911 shortly before 3.30 pm. By 4.30 pm there was already a mob outside Heath's building probably because the press found out about it through the radio. They know where celebrities live. Maybe they didn't know at first it was Heath but they knew it was someone important. That's precisely what the masseuse and Mary Kate Olse were trying to avoid. I agree that she should've called 911 right away but we don't know the constraints the masseuse was in when she found Heath passed out, so lets cut her some slack. I think it was a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Granted she might have saved Heath life but also would've risked losing her job. The problem here is the system. I think the police should not grant the press so much access to information

I understand all that, but I'm honestly not ready to cut her some slack anyway. When a human being's life was so very obviously at stake, she should have let media concerns and job concerns and instructions concerning privacy take second row. I understand what kind of worry and pressure she must have felt, but I don't accept what she did. It was simply wrong. Just IMO.

[serious crayons]

I agree, Natali (with everything but the last sentence -- I think the press should  have access). But I feel sorry for the masseuse. It sounds like she was trying to do what she thought was the right thing. It probably wasn't, but it was a high-pressure situation. I feel for her, with people all over the world practically blaming her for murdering the man.

Now Mary-Kate is a different story. Can't say I feel too sorry for her.

[opinionista]

I agree, Natali (with everything but the last sentence -- I think the press should  have access).

There's no need for the press to know right away if someone is taken to the hospital for whatever reason. It doesn't matter if you're famous. I think it is pretty humilliating to have a bunch of people taking picture of you being carried out of your home into an ambulance looking like shit or in a black bag. If you're dead you obviously wont know about it but your relatives would. It's painful enough to lose someone and then have to see that over and over and over again in the news. That's my point. Now, for other stories like fires, hurricanes etc, fine but not for this.

[Penthesilea]

I had a look at the Dark Knight's homepage. This is the only thing there at present:

http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/HeathMemorial.html


I think it's very lovely. Simple, eloquent.
Dignified.

Thank you Mika, for posting the link. Between reading and seeing so much cr*p, I'm thankful to see lovely, well thought and appropriate articles or memorials like this one. And what a lovely picture they put up.


It hurts to see such lovely done things, it hurts to read the cr*p. It just hurts.

[souxi]

There's no need for the press to know right away if someone is taken to the hospital for whatever reason. It doesn't matter if you're famous. I think it is pretty humilliating to have a bunch of people taking picture of you being carried out of your home into an ambulance looking like shit or in a black bag. If you're dead you obviously wont know about it but your relatives would. It's painful enough to lose someone and then have to see that over and over and over again in the news. That's my point. Now, for other stories like fires, hurricanes etc, fine but not for this.

I agree with you. I think it,s appalling that the press have access to these emergency calls. I also think it,s terrible having pics of Heath being taken from his apartment in a body bag, plastered all over the internet/papers for the world to see. To these newspapers, it,s just another story. To his family, friends and millions of people all loved him it,s just heartbreaking. I think the tabloid press are all parasites anyway. (I know Heath hated them too) As soon as the paramedics brought his body out, the cameras were flashing. And I still think it,s appalling that this woman didn,t call 911 first. He may or may not have been dead when she made those calls, but surely, if you find someone unconcious, your first instinct is to call an ambulance? As we,ve said, we,ll never know if it would have made any difference or not, BUT she still should have called them first and worried about the damn friend later. Poor Heath.  

[Ellemeno]

Re Mary Kate Olsen dancing and smooching in a club last night -

I want to cut everyone slack in how they immediately handle shock and grief.  I have never been a bar and club person, but I sure see that some are.  I imagine she was just trying to feel better, and that it had nothing to do with disrespect for Heath.  Part of my way of handling this for the first two days was to eat too much ice cream and surf Google News.  I imagine there are others who have been drinking more, or watching more TV, or who popped an extra pill, or are spending even more time doing Sudoku.  We just do what we can.