Goodbye, Sidney Poitier: Actor's Family Decides to Hold Funeral Privately and Asks For Donation For This
Sidney Poitier will have an intimate time with his family for the last time following his tragic death.
The acting industry mourned after Poitier's passing at the age of 94. The office of Fred Mitchell, the Bahamas' minister of foreign affairs, confirmed the news to BBC.
While his fans want to see him for the last time, Poitier's family confirmed that his memorial service would be held privately instead.
In an exclusive statement to ET Online on Sunday, the bereaved loved ones said his funeral would be a private, family affair due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, they shared appreciation to people who showed love and support for the late actor despite his passing.
"There have been many inquiries about an event to honor his life. At this time, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a private memorial service has been arranged for the family with the possibility of a more public memorial service should the virus' numbers subside in the near future," the statement went on.
Sidney Poitier's Family Has One Last Wish
Before sending the actor to his resting place, his family took their time to ask everyone to donate to some of the charitable organizations close to his heart if they wish to honor him.
Instead of sending flowers, they urged everyone to extend their help to charities and organizations like the Alzheimer's Association, The United Negro College Fund, and The Children's Defense Fund.
Initial reports did not disclose Sidney Poitier's cause of death, but the same news outlets learned that the actor died after suffering heart failure. His death certificate also revealed that he endured prostate cancer and dementia for years. Still, the two illnesses did not lead to his passing.
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A source close to the family added that Poitier had been bedridden for some time before passing away at his home in Beverly Hills. His family was with him until his last breath.
As the first Black actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor, he graced several films that changed the Black actors' fate in Hollywood. He garnered the honor through "Lilies of the Field," before starring in more shows like "To Sir With Love," "In the Heat of the Night," and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."
Aside from being an actor, he also worked as a civil rights activist. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 from then-POTUS Barack Obama.
