Associated Press
NEW YORK — A horse-drawn glass carriage brought the casket carrying pop star Aaliyah to a St. Ignatius Loyola Roman Catholic Church on Friday for a funeral service where she was mourned by her family and cheered by her fans.
Afterward, Aaliyah’s mother stood a few feet from the casket in tears and released a single white dove into the sky. Within seconds, another 21 doves were released — one for each year of the singer’s life.
Celebrities including rappers Busta Rhymes, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Jay-Z and Lil’ Kim, along with Gladys Knight, Mike Tyson, R&B singer Usher and movie producer Joel Silver were among those who attended the private farewell for the two-time Grammy-nominated singer.
A crowd of more than 1,000 fans stood outside the Upper East Side church and cheered in tribute as the grim mourners, including her mother Diane, brother Rashad and "Romeo Must Die" co-star Delroy Lindo walked in behind the cream-colored casket. When the casket was brought out after the service, fans sang one of Aaliyah’s songs, "One in a Million."
The 22-year-old singer-actress died Aug. 25 in a plane crash in the Bahamas, where she had been shooting a music video. All nine people in the small plane were killed in the accident, which is under investigation.
The carriage, pulled by two cream-colored horses, brought the casket four blocks from the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home for the private funeral Mass. About 100 family members and friends were invited.
A public memorial service that was to include a continuous loop of Aaliyah’s videos, performances and music was to be held outside a midtown restaurant Friday.
Several large flower arrangements were carried in through a side door, including a bouquet of pink roses bearing a card with "Aaliyah" printed inside a heart. A pink teddy bear was propped near the guest book. Children stood on tiptoes to read the pages and write their names.
"She was sending out a message to all the young kids, and the kids loved her," said Mary Harvey, 25, who brought her three young nieces from Brooklyn. "She will be missed."
Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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