Heath's Dad -- "Heath Touched So Many People"

1. How tragic. Heath your lovely face will be missed.

Posted at 10:55AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Lisa Marie

2. To #156 "Bird" and #157 "Doris Aiken"-- First I'll deal with you, Bird.....sleeping pills in a capped bottle on the nightstand (seems appropriate), anti anxiety meds in a capped bottlle (nothing wrong with that), and whatever rx meds in the bathroom cabinet. That's what was meant by "scattered". Are you telling me that anybody who dies at home with sealed, secured (and legal) prescription meds in appropriate and common places in their home automatically died of a drug overdose? I hope you're good looking cause you're not too bright.
Now, Ms. Aiken-- Why on earth do you believe the coronor and police OWE YOU an explaination? Get over yourself.
And to both you knuckleheads- Ummmmm.....pneumonia can kill even seeming healthy young adults.
I rest my case.

Posted at 10:43AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by How can you people even function?

3. I am one of his fans who remains devasted by Heath's death and I appreciate the opportunity to express my condolences to his family. His role in Lords of Dogtown will always be one of my all-time favorites.

Posted at 10:45AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by wasted days and wasted nights

4. RIP Heath. For parents to loose a child, and for a kid to loose his dad, it can't be any more devastating than thet. We'll all always miss you.

You're the greatest Joker ever. You shall always be remembered.

Posted at 11:27AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Suraj Chandrakar

5. Posted at 9:07 AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Bird

Wow - you obviously didn't read my post. Otherwise you would have noticed that I immediately took my friend to her doctor for help so this won't happen again, and would not have accused me of enabling her to commit suicide in the future. I've dealt with addicts in the past, and she is not one of them, nor is she suicidal. This was an accident.

You've also obviously never dealt with a person with mental health issues, pain or sleep deprivation. While sleep medication, if taken properly, is a lifesaver for most people, it is very easy for a person who is in terrible pain, who hasn't been able to sleep for days, to take sleeping meds, only to wake up an hour later in a sleep deprived, frustrated stupor thinking they've been asleep for longer than they have and that their medication has worn off so they need more, particularly if the individual is in a state of depression and ill, in part, from lack of sleep.

Doctors recommend that people don't keep sleeping medicine in the bedroom for this very reason. The packaging for Ambien warns that people have been reported going as far as driving cars in their sleep while on this medicine, so it is very reasonable to believe that a person could accidently take more without realizing what they are doing. You never know how you'll react to different medications until you take them. My friend had never taken Ambien before her accident (although she had taken other prescription sleep aids, including Trazedone, of which she was prescribed to take up to 4 pills a night).

Fortunately, my friend's doctor was able to find a balance of psychiatric medications that have corrected her depression and sleep problems, and she threw the rest of the Ambien down the toilet the day she overdosed. No excuses needed or made - just a quick acknowledgment on her part that she reacted badly to the medicine, and fast action by her doctors to find something that would help fix her problems.

I don't know if this is what happened to Heath Ledger, but as I said in my original post, his death knocked the breath out of me because of similarities to my friend's situation reported in the news. It brought me to tears - its such a sad thing when any 28 year old parent dies, regardless of how it happens - and yes, stories of soldiers dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, the death of Brad Renfro (who was also a young parent), and the story of any young person's untimely death (regardless of how) also evoke a similar reaction in me, but this story is about Heath - a talented young man who came into many of our living rooms via his movies, whose death reminded me of the near loss of my best friend.

As a mother, I am so sad for his parents; as a child, I am so sorry for his daughter. As a sister and friend, I'm so sorry for his siblings and other loved ones. God bless them all.

Posted at 11:37AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Cheryl

6. My thoughts and prayers are with the family! RIP Heath. You will always be remembered.

Posted at 11:34AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by VS

7. The movie "The Patriot" is a very special movie to our family because Mr. Gibson took three actual historical men who were leaders of the militia against the Redcoats and rolled them into one. So the Heath Ledger character played what was, in essence, the father to a US Ambassador to Russia to the Court of St Petersburg, and my great-great-great grandfather. My heart and prayers goes out to the family and friends of this fine actor...

Posted at 12:11PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Soccer Mom

8. What no autopsy photos? RIP OFF!

Posted at 8:22PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Trucker

9. I hope the press respects their privacy and lets them grieve in private....

Posted at 12:42PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Me

10. still in shock. I thought we would be seeing Heath in movies for years to come and eventually getting an Oscar. My condolences to his friends and family.

Posted at 12:33PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by jamie

11. R.I.P Heath,may you be at peace and in Heaven,look over your daughter for she will miss you dearly.

Posted at 12:33PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Janelle

12. My jaw dropped when I heard the news. I can't believe he is gone. My heart goes out to all of his loved ones.

Posted at 2:35PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Jen H

13. God be with the ledger family at this tragic time

Posted at 9:35PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by lafonda hammond

14. My condolences to Ledger Family, Mathilda and Michelle. May he rests in peace. He was really a great actor, so talented, so entertain. He really will be missed.

Posted at 11:24PM on Jan 27th 2008 by Heath_fans

15. Thanks for the good post very interesting

Posted at 11:24AM on Mar 15th 2008 by RedFox