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Following the news of the late actor’s cause of death, Heath Ledger’s father Kim released the below statement:

We remain humble as parents and a family, among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child. Few can understand the hollow, wrenching, and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them. Today’s results put an end to speculation, but our son’s beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts.

While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath’s accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage.

Our family enjoyed an extremely happy two week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year. Those recent precious days will stay with us forever. We as a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film. To most of the world Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise. To those who knew him personally, Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography, music, chess and directing. We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend.

We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda (to our dear Michelle) as well as an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends, forever, around the world. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet. This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful.

At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately, without the intrusions associated with press and photography.

I feel for the family but this was no accident…if you take that many drugs at once, you know death is a possibility unless you have some kind of Amy Winehouse super-liver. Thank you and good day.

The Chief Medical Examiner for the City of New York has concluded his report on the death of Heath Ledger, and has determined the actor died after overdosing on prescription drugs. In a news release, the New York City medical examiner’s spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said:

“Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine.”

Yikes. That sounds like Lindsay Lohan’s medicine cabinet. For the D.A.R.E. kids: oxycodone = hillbilly heroin. So I guess the rumors (I didn’t post any here, but we’ve all heard ‘em) about Heath Ledger being a “junkie” were true? I’m honestly shocked. I expected a few drugs to turn up in the results, but not this many.

I can’t imagine how Michelle Williams must feel right now.

Michelle Williams released the following statement today regarding the death of Heath Ledger. It is the first statement she’s made since Heath’s body was found last Tuesday in a New York City apartment, according to Reuters:

“Please respect our need to grieve privately. My heart is broken. I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father. All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day. His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals, and takes steps two at a time, and we know that he is with us still. She will be brought up with the best memories of him.”

Touching stuff.