Lou Reed’s Wife Laurie Anderson Writes Emotional Open Letter About His Death

Lou Reed’s wife Laurie Anderson has spoken out following her husband’s death last weekend, posting a short statement on website of The East Hampton Star, the local newspaper covering the Hampton’s neighbourhood where they lived.

The Velvet Underground star passed away last weekend at the couple’s home in the Hamptons and coroners have since confirmed the cause of death as liver damage, despite the fact Reed received a transplant earlier this May.

Addressing their neighbours, Laurie talks about her joy at being able to call the town home, explaining that it was one of Reed’s favourite places to be. “Lou and I have spent a lot of time here in the past few years, and even though we’re city people this is our spiritual home,” she writes. “Last week I promised Lou to get him out of the hospital and come home to Springs. And we made it!”

While Reed’s ill health was not a secret, the magnitude of his health problems wasn’t truly realised by fans until the seemingly sudden announcement of his passing. Laurie’s emotional tribute acknowledges the huge amount of fans his music had as well as revealing details of his final moments. “He died on Sunday morning looking at the trees and doing the famous 21 form of tai chi with just his musician hands moving through the air,” she reveals. “Lou was a prince and a fighter and I know his songs of the pain and beauty in the world will fill many people with the incredible joy he felt for life.”

Many musicians have rushed to pay tribute to the ‘Perfect Day’ singer by posting their thoughts online and covering his tracks. Lou’s friend and collaborator David Bowie shared his feelings about his “old friend” on facebook, writing: “he was a master”. His former bandmate John Cale added: “The world has lost a fine songwriter and poet… I’ve lost my ‘school-yard buddy.”

Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys have been among the stars to cover Reed’s songs. The canadian rockers performed a medley of Reed’s hits during a recent live session for US radio while Arctic Monkeys gave a rousing rendition of ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ at a Liverpool gig.

The ‘Satellite Of Love’ singer passed away on Sunday aged 71. He received a liver transplant in May, when Laurie admitted that she thought he “may never recover”, though Reed later posted on facebook telling fans he had recovered well before being readmitted to hospital in July with dehydration. Speaking to the New York Times, Reed’s Ohio doctor confirmed liver disease as the cause of death.

Laurie Anderson, a musician herself, married Reed in a quiet ceremony in 2008 after thirteen years together. Read her full obituary here:

“To our neighbors: What a beautiful fall! Everything shimmering and golden and all that incredible soft light. Water surrounding us. Lou and I have spent a lot of time here in the past few years, and even though we’re city people this is our spiritual home. Last week I promised Lou to get him out of the hospital and come home to Springs. And we made it! Lou was a tai chi master and spent his last days here being happy and dazzled by the beauty and power and softness of nature.

“He died on Sunday morning looking at the trees and doing the famous 21 form of tai chi with just his musician hands moving through the air. Lou was a prince and a fighter and I know his songs of the pain and beauty in the world will fill many people with the incredible joy he felt for life. Long live the beauty that comes down and through and onto all of us.”