In emotional clip from hospital, Tyrese Gibson holds mother’s hand for the last time
“Fast and Furious” star Tyrese Gibson bid farewell Monday to his mother, Priscilla Murray, who died after a weeks-long battle with pneumonia and COVID-19.
On Valentine’s Day, the “F9” actor shared a video of himself holding Murray’s hand on a hospital bed, telling her that he would keep holding it for the rest of his life.
“I’m gonna hold your hand for the rest of my life, OK?” he said in the emotional video, stroking his mother’s hand near where an IV line had been inserted. “Everywhere I go, I’m gonna hold your hand. The way you held my hand when I was a kid. Every journey this life takes me to, from here on, you’re gonna hold my hand, Mom, OK?”
In the accompanying caption, the actor-singer confirmed her death and said it was “the saddest moment” of his life.
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“My sweet Valentine just passed away….. May the lord Jesus Christ and his angels open the doors of heavens and embrace her,” the 43-year-old star wrote. “We as a family are broken and just can’t believe this……. May the lord Jesus Christ honor your walk with him and embrace you into the heavens……. From here on I ask that you HOLD MY HAND MOTHER and never let my hand go………. Like you held my hand as a child and a teen never let my hand go mother…..”
Gibson, whose oldest sister, Salendra, died suddenly four months prior, had been chronicling his mother’s harrowing journey on social media for days.
On Feb. 5, the “Morbius” actor and “Sweet Lady” singer broke the news to his Instagram followers that his mother had been ailing and said he had to drop out of filming to be with her. He did not say what movie he was working on or where his mother was being treated. Representatives for Gibson did not immediately respond Tuesday to The Times’ request for comment.
The “Masked Singer” contestant said Murray was in an intensive care unit and had pneumonia and COVID-19. She was sedated and couldn’t breathe or eat on her own. He said he was feeling “helpless.”
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The next day, Gibson flew out to be with her, thanking his director for having the “heart and compassion” to “re-arrange a wall to wall shooting schedule” so they could be together. He also urged his followers to “take this stuff that’s going on out here in this pandemic serious[ly].”
“I am far from perfect but I thank God that he has kept me and covered me and my family through this all so I’m expecting a miracle over my mother and this too shall pass amen,” he wrote.
Gibson posted several updates from the hospital, as well as calls for prayer. He traveled back and forth from his film set to be with Murray and still wrapped up filming.
Earlier this week, he said his mom remained in the ICU on life support. But the actor said he still had faith she would get through it.
He also went live on Instagram a few times and enlisted jazz artist Kenny G to play “Forever in Love” for his mother.
“Dear @kennyg,” he wrote. “I will never ever forget what you did for our beloved mother you sent her into the heavens with the perfect melody.”
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