PacificCoastNews.comFriends and family are bidding goodbye to Gia Allemand.
About 50 people turned up in New Orleans on Saturday to pay tribute to the former Bachelor star, who died last week as the result of an apparent suicide.
Per published reports, the memorial was held at a spot along the banks of the Mississippi River and was organized by Allemand's colleagues at Pure Barre gym, where the 29-year-old reality star and model worked as a fitness instructor. Those in attendance offered up prayers before throwing white flowers into the river in her honor.
The invitation to the service read: "Today, we wear this white ribbon in Gia's honor. Please join us in prayer as we toss white flowers into the river to symbolize that our love and memory of her will continue to flow in our hearts."
Allemand's NBA player beau, Ryan Anderson, found her unconscious last Monday in her New Orleans home after she apparently hanged herself. Gia was taken to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Funeral plans for Allemand were released over the weekend. A public visitation is set for this Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Papavero Funeral Home in Maspeth, N.Y., to be followed by a funeral service on Thursday at Trinity Grace Church of Chelsea in New York City at 11 a.m. A number of Bachelor and Bachelor Pad alums are expected to be there to pay their last respects.
In the wake of her tragic death, Gia's mom, Donna Micheletti, gave a statement to E! News slamming Allemand's ex-friend, Loredana Ferriolo, for speaking to the media about her conversation with Gia shortly before she died.
"Gia liked everyone and always found the good in people, however there were acquaintances that she had disassociated with whom are now speaking as her close friends," Micheletti said. "I don't like to give further publicity by mentioning names here, however there is a particular individual, Loredana Ferriolo, identifying herself as Gia's best friend and the fact is that Gia expressed directly to me that she did not trust this individual and her motives for her own public exposure."
Micheletti added that after the funeral, she plans to talk about her "dear daughter's life and death…in an open disclosure way with a trusted media source."
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).