On December 27th, 2016, people all over the world were shocked to hear about the death of beloved American actress Carrie Fisher. The 60 year-old died of cardiac arrest a few days after experiencing a medical emergency on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Fisher was best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars film series, and for her bold, intimate and amusing memoirs, such as The Princess Diarist and Wishful Drinking.

Throughout her life, Fisher had suffered with drug addiction and bipolar disorder. She revealed that she had been using cocaine during the filming of The Empire Strikes Back. The actress explained back in 2001 that drugs made her feel “normal” about her disorder. Fisher later became a fierce advocate for mental health and addiction, and openly wrote about her health problems in her best-selling book Wishful Drinking. Because of her great courage and honesty, Carrie Fisher was an idol to many people. She informed us about the realities of Hollywood, and reminded us that nobody’s perfect.

Just a day after Fisher’s death, her mother Debbie Reynolds passed away at the age of 84. Reynolds was an actress and singer, best known for her role in the popular 1952 musical Singin’ in the Rain. She had won several Golden Globes and the honorable Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which had previously been awarded to Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey.

Recently, HBO aired the film Bright Lights which depicted the close relationship between Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. The film contains footage displaying the raw moments of love, laughter, anguish, and candor between mother and daughter. Reynolds and Fisher were two remarkable and inspiring women, and they will surely be missed.