The Passing of a Princess #CarrieFisher #StarWars

I'm a bit late to this, but between being offline and the shock, it's taking me a while to compose myself. For the last few days Princess Leia's theme has been running through my head - a piece that has always brought a lump to my throat - but now and forever a deeper sense of sorrow.

"I can't believe she's gone..."

When news broke of her heart attack, I feared the worst as I took to Twitter for updates. Despite a report of her condition being stable, the details did not make reassuring reading. 15 minutes to get a pulse? Surely brain damage even if she pulled through. I hoped and wished (because I do not pray) along with thousands of others, but our hopes were crushed. Our beloved Princess Leia passed on.

I count myself fortunate to have been at Star Wars Celebration Europe, to hear her speak while in the same building even though I wasn't lucky enough to get into her panel. My eldest and I watched her interview with Warwick Davis live stream at the event.

 I regret not getting my photo taken with her. I'm proud that although my eldest is no SW fan, General Organa impressed her in The Force Awakens and Carrie Fisher became elevated to her list of strong, iconic women with Jennifer Lawrence and Daisy Ridley as inspirations.

My two boys are also saddened at losing the General. At least one more generation has been touched by Carrie Fisher and will live on in their memories. We will miss her.

Just recently a Brigade member asked for our moment in the films that we thought first defined Leia. For me, it was the moment she took charge of her own rescue in A New Hope after Luke and Han's attempt went bottoms up. This was not a damsel in distress who would wait for the hero to save her. Instead, she assessed the situation, made a decision and took the lead, taking no sass from the scruffy looking nerf herder and hapless but heroic farm boy. The same qualities that made her a leader. I will always remember her for that.

To those who jumped in saying things along the lines of 'oh, you all make a fuss about a celebrity dying but what about all the homeless/orphans/refugees?!'. Caring about one does not preclude another, and for many Carrie Fisher was an advocate and a voice for mental health and addiction issues. Empathy for one's fellow human beings does not have a limit, and making such crass statements shows the true nature of those making them.
To those who would say 'but she did other things too!': Of course she did, and I know many will remember her for those. But it was as Princess Leia that she made the most impact on me personally (and on my children).
To those who want to point out she was a general: See above, but also to quote Max von Sydow's character in The Force Awakens:
"To me, she'll always be royalty."

Carrie Fisher

"...drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra..."