Carrie Fisher’s Daughter Billie Lourd Shared a Chilling Tribute & Rare Throwback Photo on the 7th Anniversary of Her Mom’s Death
Billie Lourd — along with throngs of devoted fans worldwide — is spending extra time thinking about her mom Carrie Fisher today. The beloved actress passed away from a heart attack 7 years ago. “But who’s counting??” Lourd asked in a chilling and emotional tribute on Instagram. “Me I guess?”
The still-grieving daughter penned a caption that had followers nodding along and wiping away tears as Lourd explained that every anniversary brings a “different iteration” of her grief.
“Some infuse me with rage, some make me cry all day long, some make me feel dissociated and empty, some make me feel nothing, some make me feel guilty for feeling nothing, and some make me feel all of those things all at once,” the 31-year-old actress wrote.
“This year when I woke up I felt grateful – or ✨griefull✨if you will,” she continued. “Grief has infused my life with a sense of appreciation I had never had before. It makes me soak up every moment of joy as if it were my last. Today I was holding my daughter while she was napping in my arms and my eyes welled up with tears of joy.”
She went on to say that she felt her mom’s presence “like the warmth of the sun on your skin on a hot summer day,” which made the rare throwback photo she shared all the more meaningful. In it, Lourd and Fisher are at the beach on what looks to be one of those beautiful, unforgettable beach days. Lourd — who is probably 8 or 9 in the photo —has a blissful smile on her face. Her eyes are closed, her legs are completely buried in sand, and her mom is behind her. Fisher rests her chin on her only child’s head and looks straight at the camera, the hint of a smile on her face.
“The kind of warmth where you unknowingly close your eyes and take a slow breath through your nose and grin,” Lourd said. “I miss her every day but the cliche is also true – she is with me every day – she infuses my joyful moments with even more joy. As I tell my son, she lives in the stars – and she damn sure makes my life sparkle.”
Followers were quick to respond to Lourd’s raw and intimate tribute to the iconic Star Wars actress.
“Your Mom made such a positive impact on so many people who never met her. She was so much more than a Princess.”
“Beautifully said sweet friend ???? moving with our grief is the most life affirming thing we can do because it is the event that makes life so damn precious.”
“Billie, all the words you wrote matched the words I have in my thoughts. Your mother is no longer on this plane with us, but she will always be alive in your heart ♥”
“She is one with the Force. And the Force is with you, always❤️”
Lourd shares two young kids — a son Kingston Fisher and a daughter Jackson Joanne — with husband Austen Rydell. It seems like Lourd might have been honoring her mom when she named Jackson. By giving her daughter a typically masculine name (just like “Billie!”), she may have continued a baby-naming tradition. Intentional or not, there are so many beautiful little ways for Lourd to honor and remember her mom, and we hope that each one makes her more “griefull.”