Carrie Fisher Remembered By Sister Joely Fisher In A New Tell-All Book

Star Wars fans all over the world are still mourning the loss of their princess, Carrie Fisher, but the actress’ passing is surely more keenly felt by those her knew her personally. Among the people to hold a special place in their hearts for Carrie is her own sister, Joely Fisher. Joely, who is also an actress with a long list of credits that includes regular appearances on Ellen and ‘Til Death, is now opening up about her sister in a new memoir that reveals much about their relationship and about Joely’s own grieving process, as she recently mourned Carrie.

Joely Fisher Recalls the Last Time She Saw Her Sister: “We Had a Grand Time!”

People reports that Joely Fisher appeared as a guest on Dr. Oz to talk about her new tell-all book and the last time she saw sister Carrie Fisher alive. While on the show, Joely commented that the seven stages of grief felt more like 77, because of everything she had going on in her own life when the Star Wars actress died. Ms. Fisher, now 49 years old, explained that Carrie’s death forced her to slow down at a time when she was at her busiest.

“I’m a mother of five people and I am an actress and I’m directing my first movie and I’m doing many things so I have to go on with life,” said Fisher.

Even so, Joely feels the loss keenly very often and says she still misses Carrie every day of her life. She adds that Carrie would often stop by to look at pictures, or they would talk on the phone, joking about politics, or whatever else came to mind.

Joely say she last saw the Star Wars actress in November 2016, just one month before Carrie Fisher passed away on December 27. The two half-sisters (Joely is the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens) had gotten together to celebrate Carrie’s birthday.

“Well, I saw her in November for her birthday and we had a grand time, the typical Carrie party,” says Joely.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Star Carrie Fisher Sent a Text to Her Sister From That Flight

New York Daily News reports that Joely also opened up about the mid-flight heart attack that led to Carrie Fisher’s death, revealing that the Star Wars actress sent her a text from the plane. She adds that she’s taken screenshots of her text messages with Carrie and has them saved on a hard drive, because she doesn’t want to risk erasing them and losing the memories forever.

Fisher says her text messages with Carrie covered a number of topics with the two Fisher women talking about the health conditions of their mothers and later texted their thoughts on politics to one another. Before the texting ended, Carrie and Joely had agreed that they would meet for Christmas.

Carrie Fisher was in the hospital by the time the holiday arrived, but Joely says she stuck to the agreement and spent Christmas at Carrie’s side.

“I think she knew I was there.”

Joely added that she feels sorrow for Star Wars fans, as well as grieving for her own feelings of loss over Carrie’s death. She says losing Carrie has left many fans devastated.

“They looked to her for solace and for finding the funny and for knowing that if she could survive, that they could [too],” said Joely Fisher. “And with her not surviving, they’re looking for me.”

Ms. Fisher also opened up about Carrie Fisher’s struggle with mental illness. Suffering from bipolar disorder, the Star Wars actress turned to humor to help her cope and Joely believes that helped her half-sister avoid the darkness.

“You could lose yourself in tragedy and in sort of your own demons and she was determined not to, I think,” says Joely Fisher.

Joely Fisher’s memoir, Growing Up Fisher: Musings, Memories, and Misadventures, is scheduled for a November 14 release.

[Featured Image by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images]