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Family ready for Ledger funeral | Family ready for Ledger funeral |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Australian actor Heath Ledger is to be buried in his hometown of Perth on Saturday at a small private ceremony. | Australian actor Heath Ledger is to be buried in his hometown of Perth on Saturday at a small private ceremony. |
His father, Kim Ledger, told reporters in the Western Australian capital that the family wanted to grieve alone. | His father, Kim Ledger, told reporters in the Western Australian capital that the family wanted to grieve alone. |
"We're finding it pretty difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone with everyone else around the world," he said. | "We're finding it pretty difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone with everyone else around the world," he said. |
The 28-year-old star of Brokeback Mountain died of an accidental drugs overdose last month in New York. | The 28-year-old star of Brokeback Mountain died of an accidental drugs overdose last month in New York. |
Prior to the funeral, a memorial service is being held at Penrhos College in the Perth suburb of Como. | |
A wake is planned at the city's Cottesloe Beach, which was one of Ledger's favourite places, the West Australian newspaper reports. | A wake is planned at the city's Cottesloe Beach, which was one of Ledger's favourite places, the West Australian newspaper reports. |
A memorial service was held in Los Angeles last weekend. | |
'Cumulative effect' | 'Cumulative effect' |
"The funeral service will be very, very private and there will only be 10 people there, immediate family and nobody else," Mr Ledger said. | |
One of the first to arrive for at Penrhos College was Gemma Ward, Ledger's former girlfriend. | |
His ex-fiance, Michelle Williams, mother of his two-year-old daughter Matilda, arrived in Perth earlier in the week. | |
On Wednesday, the New York City medical examiner ruled that Ledger died from the combined effect of six different prescription drugs. | |
They include painkiller Oxycontin and anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax. | They include painkiller Oxycontin and anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax. |
Traces of painkiller Ibuprofen and the sleeping pills Restoril and Unisom were also found in Ledger's blood. | Traces of painkiller Ibuprofen and the sleeping pills Restoril and Unisom were also found in Ledger's blood. |
Kim Ledger said: "While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy." | Kim Ledger said: "While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy." |