Whitney's Funeral Held, Tears Bid Final Farewell to a Superstar

by wangjunjie1 on 2012-02-20 00:06:22

Whitney's Funeral Held: Fans and Friends Say Final Goodbye

With a voice of perfection, she was undeniably the Queen of Pop in the hearts of her fans. Yet, her life had its moments of downfall, but to her loved ones, she was simply "Nippy," a little girl. Therefore, her funeral was destined to be both a public spectacle and an intimate, heartfelt event. At 12 noon local time on February 18 (midnight Beijing Time on February 19), the funeral for the late Whitney Houston was held at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. In the place where Houston first served as a choir member, her family and friends, along with fans from all over the world who gathered in her hometown, said their final goodbyes. The funeral service lasted four hours.

Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown, who had initially been denied an invitation to the funeral, ultimately made an appearance. Stars such as Kevin Costner, Oprah Winfrey, and Stevie Wonder were also present, personally accompanying Houston on her final journey. As the classic song "I Will Always Love You" played, Houston lay quietly in a golden casket, escorted by hundreds of friends and family members out of the church. She will be buried beside her late father, John Houston, in the Westfield area of New Jersey.

Stars Sing Farewell, Recalling Whitney's Elegance

The funeral began with Pastor Joe A. Carter reading from the Bible, saying, "Today, we stand here with broken hearts, but we must still celebrate Whitney Houston's life according to God's will." Houston's friends celebrated their beloved through songs and words.

Kevin Costner, the male lead in the movie "The Bodyguard," recalled the creation process of the iconic song "I Will Always Love You." He mentioned that Houston, overwhelmed by sudden fame, once doubted if she was truly that talented or beautiful enough for the public's affection. Tyler Perry, the filmmaker, praised Houston for her elegance in everything she did, which helped her reach the top of the charts and even perform for the President. R&B singer R. Kelly emotionally covered Houston's single "I Look To You" at the ceremony.

Aretha Franklin, Houston's close friend and the American "Queen of Soul," who was affectionately called "Aunt Ree" by Houston, was originally scheduled to sing but couldn't attend due to illness.

Final Goodbye: Family Remembers Her as Their Little Girl

"Rest in peace, my little girl," wrote Mommy in a farewell letter to her daughter, Houston.

Yes, to the world, she was a superstar with a glorious past, but also someone who struggled with drug addiction, an unhappy marriage, and the burdens of fame and fortune. However, to her loved ones, she was merely "Nippy," a nickname given to her in childhood that accompanied her into adulthood. In the hearts of her family and friends, she was a sister, a friend, a daughter, and a mother.

At the funeral site, a photo of Houston hung in the center of the venue with the inscription, "In memory of Whitney Elizabeth Houston, you are God's child." Photos of Houston's childhood and those with her gospel-singer mother Cissy Houston were also displayed during the service. Throughout the ceremony, Houston's mother and daughter sat tightly embraced in the front row.

Starting early in the morning of February 19 and concluding at 4 pm, the funeral concluded with the playing of "I Will Always Love You." The scene was filled with cries as family and friends took their final farewells, waving goodbye to Houston's golden casket. "Nippy" will now forever rest beside her father. According to U.S. media reports, Houston's daughter will be sent to a residential rehabilitation center for detoxification treatment to avoid following in her mother's footsteps.

Ex-Husband Bobby Brown Makes Brief Appearance, Touching Whitney's Coffin

Bobby Brown, the ex-husband of Whitney Houston, who was initially not invited to the ceremony, was eventually allowed to attend. However, he appeared briefly, looking somewhat uneasy, didn’t sit down, touched his ex-wife’s coffin, and then quickly left the church to drive away.

According to TMZ, nine people accompanied Bobby Brown to the New Hope Baptist Church, but eight of them were turned away, allowing only Bobby Brown to enter. Although Bobby Brown's attendance at Whitney's funeral was strongly opposed by Whitney Houston's family, they decided to allow him to attend the weekend funeral for the sake of giving Whitney a peaceful send-off. Nevertheless, some family members still opposed Bobby Brown's presence.

Fans Wait Overnight Outside the Church

Besides close family and friends, fans from all over the world also came to pay their respects. Even though they couldn't enter the funeral site, they insisted on waiting outside the church to bid farewell to their idol.

Before the funeral began, the area was sealed off, and vehicles without invitations were not allowed entry. Even the police entered the site on horseback. Some fans had gathered as early as Saturday morning, trying to get as close as possible to the church where the funeral was being held. Fans even came from Washington D.C. and Miami. Near the funeral location, some temporary stalls were set up, selling T-shirts with Houston's portrait and name, along with her CDs.

Media from around the world gathered outside the church and were considerately arranged in a designated media area outside the church.