Prince Cremated As Paisley Park Memorial Service Overflows With Purple Love: Autopsy & Cause Of Death Update

Prince touched millions with his unique artistry. And now, as the legacy of Prince the artist, actor, and musician is celebrated, his family and friends are trying to accept their loss after coming together for a private memorial service held at Paisley Park on Saturday, April 23, reported Us Weekly.

Prince died suddenly on April 21, and an autopsy took place on April 22. With the cause of death unknown, the 57-year-old artist was cremated following the release of his body to relatives. Prince’s representative described the memorial service.

“Prince was celebrated by a small group of his most beloved: family, friends and his musicians, in a private, beautiful ceremony to say a loving goodbye. Prince’s remains have been cremated and their final storage will remain private. We ask for your blessings and prayers of comfort for his family and close friends at this time.”

As for the cause of death, the rep also clarified when to anticipate the autopsy results and offered news about a plan to celebrate Prince’s life.

“The cause of death remains unknown and it will be at least four weeks before we receive the results of the autopsy. An announcement will be made at a future date for a musical celebration,” added the singer’s spokesperson.

Among those at the memorial service were Sheila E., his protege and former fiancée, bassist Larry Graham, half-brother Maurice Phillips, and muse Damaris Lewis.

But although the memorial service was private, fans gathered outside and filled the fence of his mansion with purple love, ranging from purple balloons to flowers and signs.

Arrived here in Chanhassen this afternoon. Here's a look at the mural growing here outside Paisley Park. pic.twitter.com/SxBPQd240L

— Jen Peros (@jenperos) April 23, 2016

Tyka Nelson, who is the singer’s sister, greeted some lucky fans with memorabilia packaged in big purple boxes.

Memorial Service Brings Love & Grief

Attending the memorial service, Prince’s half brother revealed how he is struggling with his loss to ET. Maurice Phillips confessed that his wife is coping better than he is, while their six children are trying to avoid the photographers.

“They’re taking it pretty good, but the paparazzi is chasing them down, following them and all that,” he said of the youngsters.

Memorial at #PaisleyPark grew overnight! pic.twitter.com/gcaHdcUvBJ

— Linsey Davis (@LinseyDavis) April 23, 2016

The singer’s bassist Larry Graham expressed his appreciation to fans for “bringing the love out here” and also revealed his gratitude.

“We’ve got a great support team, from the little ones to the big ones. It’s amazing, and thank y’all so much,” added the musician.

Prince’s Autopsy Results & Cause Of Death Update

As for what is known about Prince’s sudden collapse, Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson revealed that he was discovered unresponsive in an elevator at Paisley Park Studios. No results from the autopsy are known yet, but an insider revealed to ET that Prince was experiencing health problems.

After suffering from the flu, the singer developed walking pneumonia. He also was experiencing pain from a hip injury.

However, Olson emphasized that there was no sign of suicide, according to CBN.

But neither he nor the medical examiner’s spokeswoman would comment on whether prescription drugs had been seized at Prince’s mansion. They also declined to offer a statement on a report that Prince had previously experienced a painkiller overdose just days before he died.

But with regard to pain, Sheila E. shared that the singer had constantly been in pain after all those years of leaping from risers on stage.

“There was always something kind of bothering him, as it does all of us,” she admitted. “I hurt every single day. You know we’re like athletes, we train, and we get hurt all the time. We have so many injuries.”

Chazz Smith, a cousin of the singer, emphasized that Prince never used drugs or alcohol.

“We decided to never get into that stuff, and no one did,” declared Smith.

Was Prince Addicted To Painkillers?

However, the Daily Mail reports that Prince had overdosed on Percocet, a painkiller, six days before he died, and that his plane made the emergency landing not because of his flu but to have a “save shot” administered.

Prince allegedly became addicted to Percocet, an opioid, because of his chronic pain. He was famed for wearing high heels on stage while leaping around, thereby harming his ankles and hips.

However, although an operation might have eased that pain, Prince refused to undergo surgery because he was worried he would need a blood transfusion. That is forbidden by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who contend that because an individual’s spirit is in his blood, a transfusion is akin to mixing two people’s spirits.

An expert told Fox News that the combination of flu and an overdose could have been deadly.

Marc LaRochelle, an assistant professor of medicine at Boston Medical Center at Boston University School of Medicine, described how an overdose by itself could cause death.

“[Opioids] can do is cause central nervous system depression, and they can decrease your respiratory rate,” explained LaRochelle. “In the case of overdose, how that manifests is it slows breathing to where it may stop completely and you have cardiopulmonary arrest.”

[Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images]