Grief: Marie Osmond mourns her 18-year-old son Michael Bryan, who died after jumping from his flatMarie Osmond's bravely held back her tears as her 18-year-old son was laid to rest yesterday in an emotional funeral service.
Michael Bryan died from an apparent suicide after jumping from the eight floor of his Los Angeles flat.
Yesterday his mother, six of his seven siblings, and uncles Jimmy and Donny Osmond were among mourners at a Mormon service.
The teenager was remembered as a lighthearted brother and son who had a brilliant sense of humour who had a kind and generous heart.
His sister Rachel Blosil, 20, said: 'He was a man of his word. He wasn't a talker, he was a doer. He was reliable.'
Struggling to speak through her tears, she added: 'He knew my hopes, he knew my dreams, my secrets, things that nobody knows. He was my best friend.'
Police in Los Angeles said the official cause of Bryan's death, on February 26, is pending the results of an autopsy and toxicology tests.
Bryan left a note but police have not released details about its contents.
One of five children adopted by Osmond, Bryan previously used his adoptive father's last name, Blosil.
He later legally changed his surname to Bryan after Osmond and Brian Blosil divorced in 2007 after two decades of marriage.
Osmond also has three other children from marriages to Blosil and first husband, Stephen Craig, whom she divorced in 1985.
Bryan was a first-year fashion production student at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Mourners: The Osmond family, including uncles Jimmy and Donny, carry Michael Bryan's coffin at the Church of Latter-day Saints Chapel in Provo, Utah
Famous family: Donny (L) and Jimmy Osmond, sister of Marie, attend the funeral. Donny later gave a tearful blessing at the serviceIn 2007, Osmond said her son had entered rehab but did not disclose what he was being treated for.
More than 450 mourners attended Monday's services at a chapel near the Provo temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including church President Thomas S. Monson, who offered words of comfort to the family.
In sharing their memories, Bryan's siblings painted a portrait of a close-knit family, where laughter and music - along with whipped cream fights in the family kitchen and other games - were often present.
Family: Marie Osmond, left, and her daughter Rachael Blosil watch as the casket of Michael Bryan is taken from a chapel in Provo, Utah 
Comfort: Donny Osmond with his wife Debbie at the serviceBryan was described as being at the centre of the fun, despite his often quiet manner.
'He was an intricate part of our family,' said Stephen Craig, 26, the eldest of Osmond's children.
'Each member of our family and every person here is better for having met him.'
In brief remarks, Marie Osmond expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of support and prayers she said she had felt since Bryan's death. She said: 'I'd just like to say thank you to everybody. As you see I have amazing support from great men, my family, my brothers.
'God was very wise when he put me into a family with honourable men because they have served as examples for my children.' She expressed pride in all her offspring and acknowledged the presence of Bryan's birth mother, 'who gave me the greatest gift'.
'Thank you for those beautiful 18 years,' Osmond said.
Michael's uncle, Donny, gave a blessing at the service. 'Bless my sister,' he said, breaking into tears. 'Bless my sister and her family. May she feel my love and my comfort.'
Messages: Mourners release balloons with notes to Michael scrawled on them during a graveside serviceMichael's 12-year-old sister Brianna cried as she called him 'my best friend' and 'the coolest person ever'.
'Michael never forgot my birthday,' she said. 'That's a big deal in a family that's as big as mine.'
'The house was more fun when he was home. We had dance competitions to Miley Cyrus songs. He would make up words and sing along. We'd have whipped cream fights in the kitchen.'
Michael Bryan: The picture on the front of the order of service showed the 18-year-old grinningHis seven-year-old sister Abigail told family and friends: 'My brother Michael loved ME the most.
'My brother was funny and he made me laugh,' she said. 'I liked playing the game Colors with Mike in our pool. My brother wrote a song about me that said I made him very happy. See, he did love me the most!'
And his brother Matthew, 10, added: 'My brother had the best jokes. We used to mess around and play-fight but it was not fair because he was bigger than me so he always won.'
The service ended with a traditional Mormon hymn, sung by Osmond and her brothers - Alan, Merrell, Jay, Wayne, Donny and Jimmy.
The eldest Osmond brothers, Tom and Verl, who are deaf, accompanied the family by signing the words.
Bryan's silver coffin was interred at the East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo.
At the graveside, the family scrawled handwritten messages onto orange balloons before releasing them into the air.
The teenager's suicide note was also reported to contain the words: ‘I feel like I have no friends and will never fit in.’
He reportedly decided to end his life because of the ‘torment’ of his long battle against depression and drug and alcohol abuse.
In November 2007, when he just 16, Michael entered a rehab facility.
At the time, Marie said: 'My son Michael is an amazing young man, shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud of him.'
In an interview with American magazine People in 2007, Marie's long-time friend Lisa Hatch described Michael as a 'very quiet kid' who played the drums on his mother's Christmas 2006 tour.
It was thought he was overcoming his troubles after he successfully graduated from high school last year in Las Vegas.
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Thomas Monson (L) comforts singer Marie Osmond as pallbearers carry Michael's coffin to the grave
Baby picture: Marie (C) talks to mourners and holds a photo of Michael as a newbornLast March, Marie said: 'I couldn't be more proud of him. He's got a 3.9 GPA in high school. He's looking at scholarships to some wonderful colleges.
'She admitted her marriage split had been difficult for Michael: 'Those kinds of things are really very hard for a teenager to deal with.'
Marie is also mother to three biological children Stephen, Rachael and Lauren and four remaining adopted children Jessica, Brandon, Brianna and Abigail.
The Osmonds, a tight-knit Mormon family who donate ten per cent of their earnings to the Mormon Church, found fame singing together in the Seventies with hits such as Paper Roses and Crazy Horses.
Together with Marie’s brothers Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny and baby brother Jimmy, the family built up an estimated £50million fortune.
Procession: A white hearse and limousine leave the chapel after the service in Provo, Utahsource: dailymail
No comments:
Post a Comment