When Joan Rivers passed away at 81, her daughter Melissa was faced with the challenging task of celebrating her mother’s legendary life publicly while mourning her loss privately. While holidays after a loved one’s death can be particularly difficult, Melissa found a way to remember her mother on Thanksgiving by hosting a special dinner and even tweeting from Joan Rivers’ Twitter account , reported Us Weekly .
The 46-year-old TV celebrity revealed that she had discovered Joan’s password, tweeting her holiday wishes along with a “Throwback Thursday” photo of mother and daughter.
“I finally figured out my mom’s password. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Xo Melissa.”
Joan Rivers had created a tradition of hosting Thanksgiving for close friends and family every year. This year, Melissa carried on that tradition by inviting them all to her mother’s famously luxurious condo, revealed the New York Post .
That condo is “where Marie Antoinette would have lived if she had the money,” Joan once said.
Sources revealed that Melissa has not changed the apartment decor since Joan’s death. As a result, the Fashion Police co-host decided it was the ideal location for her first Thanksgiving without her mother. Melissa followed her mother’s traditions.
“Joan would welcome her friends, relatives and anyone who might not have family members in New York to a Thanksgiving dinner at her home,” said a source.
Reigning at the table of 50, Joan would require each guest to reveal what he or she was thankful for. Although Melissa recognized that it might open the door to grieving her loss, she wanted to continue that legacy to honor her mother, said the source.
Thanksgiving, with its theme of gratitude, was especially important to the comedienne, she revealed in a 2010 documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work .
“Today is Thanksgiving, my favorite time of year,” said Joan during the film.
Rivers also talked about her desire to invite people to her home who needed a sense of family and love, blending lonely acquaintances with family members.
“Melissa and Cooper come, of course. And then I invite my friends. Many of them are strays, single women, or my neighbors from downstairs,” said Rivers in the documentary, shown below.
http://youtu.be/2fnojZw54ls
Now, as Melissa and her son Cooper are left to carry on the tradition, she is trying to stay true to her mother’s belief that humor heals everything, as she said in her statement after Joan’s death.
“My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.”
As the Inquisitr reported, Melissa created a celebration of life for her mother that stayed true to Joan Rivers’ wishes . Faced with the heart-breaking decision to remove her mother from life support, Melissa showed her courage.
The loving eulogy that Melissa penned pays tribute to the qualities that both mother and daughter shared.
“I know you are a true creative genius (and I am in awe of the depth of your instincts). I love having you live with me, and I am grateful for every minute Cooper and I have with you. You are an inspiration.”
[Images Via Twitter Melissa Rivers]
