Mary-Kate Olsen: Heath Was A Friend... Funeral Home Barricaded

Update: Ledger's body has been moved from a New York funeral home to an airport and is enroute to Los Angeles, and then probably Perth, for private memorial services.
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Mary-Kate Olsen says Heath Ledger was a "friend" in a brief statement released Friday, the same day police said they have no interest in interviewing the "Full House" star.

Released by her publicist, the statement is the first word from Olsen since the Australian-born actor's death. In its entirety, it reads:

"Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family during this very difficult time."

Police said the masseuse who found Ledger's body Tuesday spent nine minutes making three calls to the Olsen twin before dialing 911 for help, then called Olsen a fourth time after paramedics arrived. At some point during the flurry of calls, Olsen, who was in California, summoned her personal security guards to the apartment to help, police said. [People magazine claims the pair had been casually dating]

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said investigators have no interest in talking to Olsen. They interviewed everyone at the scene, each of whom was cooperative. That eliminated "any need to interview Miss Olsen," he said.

Olsen's whereabouts were unknown Friday. A private viewing was scheduled for Friday at the Frank E. Campbell funeral home in Manhattan, and Ledger's family was flying to the U.S. from his native Australia.

Police set up barricades outside the funeral home as Ledger's family made arrangements to claim the body of the 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor. Their plans were not immediately known, though Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government would do whatever is needed to help the family bring back his body to Australia.

Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said no details about the funeral would be shared with the media.

Ledger's family placed a death notice in The West Australian, a newspaper based in his hometown of Perth, remembering him as "the most amazing 'old soul' in a young man's body."

"As a close knit and very private family we have observed you so determined yet quietly traveling in your self-styled path in life, nothing would get in your way ... no mountain too tall, no river too wide," said the notice, which the newspaper said had been submitted by Ledger's relatives. ".... Our hearts are broken."

The actor's sister, Kate, said she could "hardly breathe" as she tried to write her tribute. "We were the ultimate soul mates," she said.

"You were so many things to so many people, but to me you were just my little brother."

The cause of Ledger's death will not be known for at least a week, after medical examiners complete toxicology tests. Authorities suspect a possible overdose, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Several prescription drugs were found in the Manhattan apartment where Ledger's body was found.

The masseuse who found him, Diana Wolozin, apparently knew both Ledger and Olsen and knew they were friends. Messages left at telephone numbers listed for Wolozin were not returned.

Comments

[RedWhiteandBlueState]

Rest in Peace, Heath.

[Boobaloo]

All this whining about poor little Heath is really nauseating.

He was a smarmy drug addict and alcoholic who made too much money, had zero boundaries and expectations placed on him by a society that worships white guys with money and he went through women like he went through illegal drugs.

The guy lived a selfish, self-absrobed and hedonistic life that devoured him body and soul.

Fame didnt kill him, Heath killed himself.

How many people died in Iraq on the same day that this pampered, rich obnoxious celebrity poured thousands of dollars of drugs down his throat and died?

[truthyguy]

I don't think there have been enough stories on this unfortunate death. Please, media, do 50 or 60 more per hour.

[marcain]

i've always thought it was funny how girls can refer to a guy they're banging as 'a friend' or sometimes they say 'just my friend.'

also, i think HL was probably already dead and those lost 9 minutes wouldn't have mattered anyway.

i will miss the guy, he was a good actor.

[WilliePilgrim]

If the tragic death of celebrity has any good to contribute perhaps it is an increased awareness of the problem, though in this case it seems we're identifying it incorrectly. I see Mr Ledgers death as yet another in the long sad list of people who were victims of the drug war. Instead of fostering an environment where people are informed about the real risks we get scare tactics and threats from our leaders who in turn get their moral compass set by church leaders who coincidentally are in agreement with organized crime on this and organized crime knows which side of the bread is buttered. Knowing that going to a hospital with a drug problem will likely open up a can of worms in this current witch-hunting environment that has been strapped onto our efforts to survive the epidemic, has only worsened the problem and deepened the stigma. Perhaps if Mr Ledger knew that calling the police for help instead of his confidante and partner in crime, his life could have been saved and a lesson unencumbered with the twisted morality and false logic of those who campaign to keep drugs illegal would have been learned by all of us.

[bluevalentine]

Mary-Kate is guilty of more than what she is admitting too. Hope she likes having his death on her hands, so to speak. Ummm, a FRIEND would have called 911,, NOT her private security folks. GMAB....MK was out to protect herself, and is probably the person to give him drugs.
Loser....e­xactly how many men is she known to be with? Wasn't she just with lance Armstrong? Or was that the sister?
Sheesh, this is now going to be like JFK....wha­t really happened to HL and who knew first?

[rini]

We all know by now that the masseuse called Mary Kate before she called 911.

It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.