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Lee Thompson Young Memorial Held, Angie Harmon "in Tears" at Service for Rizzoli & Isles Costar

Family and friends gathered on the Paramount lot this morning for a memorial service honoring the actor

By Natalie Finn, Claudia Rosenbaum Aug 24, 2013 1:11 AMTags
Lee Thompson YoungPeter Kramer/Getty Images

Lee Thompson Young will definitely be missed.

Family and friends, including the cast of Rizzoli & Isles, gathered on the Paramount lot this morning for a memorial service honoring the actor, who died Monday of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Among the mourners was Angie Harmon, who broke down in tears while speaking about her late costar, an eyewitness exclusively tells E! News.

"It was really hard to hear her because she was in tears," says a friend of Young's who attended the private gathering. "It was very emotional."

Rizzoli & Isles star Jordan Bridges also spoke about Young, saying that he had been excited to start working with him especially because they shared a passion for martial arts. They shared a connection and became good pals, Bridges said. He concluded his remarks by holding what's known as a horse stance, similar to a warrior pose in yoga, in honor of his friend.

Tuesday's episode of the TNT crime drama was dedicated to Young's memory.

 

Shawn Levy, who directed Young in the Disney Channel series The Famous Jett Jackson, also attended the nearly three-hour service.

Young's practice of the West African religion Ifa was also highlighted throughout. Dancers dressed all in white performed to the beat of live drum music and the actor's former karate teacher entered the room ahead of Young's mother, writer Velma Love, blessing the ground in front of her as she walked in.

Some of the mourners were dressed all in white, too, as a nod to Young's Ifa practice.

Love told those assembled that Young was a great son who was always eager to help her, even when she hadn't asked for any.

His mom "would tell stories about how she would send him things that she had written asking him first not to make any changes and he would send her back a list of suggestions," the friend told us.

Young's friend said that a number of people got up to speak and they had similar things to say regarding what a great person he was.

"He never got mad at anyone," said the friend. "If you had something to talk about, even if it was not interesting, he would sit there and listen. He as a good spirit. He was down to earth" and never put on airs about being a Hollywood actor.

Young's apparent suicide "came as a shock to everyone," the friend said.

But on Friday, "everyone there was celebrating his life, which is what he would have wanted," the friend added. "He wanted everyone to come together and be a big family, so that is what we did. We came together to celebrate him and his life."