Debbie Reynolds Asked Her Son For Permission To Go Following Carrie Fisher's Death

Debbie Reynolds in Halloweentown

In December, the world was devastated when Star Wars heroine Carrie Fisher and her mother, the incomparable Debbie Reynolds, passed away one day apart from each other. Now Reynolds's son, Todd Fisher, wants to set the record straight about the circumstances surrounding his mother's death. According to Fisher, Reynolds did not "die of a broken heart," as some news sources claimed after her death; instead, she "went to be with Carrie."

In an interview with ET Online, Todd Fisher spoke about his tragic losses. He admitted that he still feels disoriented, but he is doing all right on the whole. Fisher added that having a ceremony to mark the passing of a loved one is important for the grieving process no matter if a person is famous or not. He explained that in those final moments, Debbie Reynolds began to run through the details of her estate and modify things that needed to happen due to the death of Carrie Fisher, which occurred a mere day prior. Part of the modifications included changing her funeral wishes from a cremation to a burial so that she could be buried near Carrie Fisher. He also noted:

My mother said to me the night that Carrie died ... we were talking that night and I didn't know what was happening, but she was setting me up for her leaving the planet. And she really just said to me, 'You know, I know that was really hard on you losing your sister.' [And I said], 'I mean, Carrie was there holding my hand when I took my first steps. I have film of that and it will be in the memorial.' And when I was editing that, it ripped my heart out. But my mother said, 'I know that's tough. It might be tougher even, you know... I don't know for sure when I [will] go.' I was like, 'Well, look, fortunately we don't have to face that right now, you know, we just face this.' But then she was like asking my permission [to go].

Todd Fisher indicated that Debbie Reynolds passed away instantly after expressing her love for him and stating she wanted to be with Carrie Fisher. He said the classic Hollywood legend closed her eyes and drifted away. Fisher revealed his dismay at how the news ran with stories that said he stated Reynolds died of a broken heart.

I'm telling you what it looked like. It looked like she asked permission to leave, told me she was going to leave, told me she loves me, closed her eyes and went to sleep. That's kind of a magical, beautiful thing. As much as it's also hard, it's what she wanted.

In the interview, Todd Fisher also said that he is handling the death of his mother better than the death of his sister. The news about both stars left us heartbroken, so we cannot imagine what Fisher must be feeling. Carrie "Princess Leia" Fisher was unforgettable, and Debbie Reynolds filled us with joy in whatever she touched, from Singin' in the Rain to Will and Grace and everything in between. We wish him all the best and hope he knows that the legacy his family built will live on.