INSIDE STORY: What Went Wrong with Brittany Murphy Charity
By Sara Hammel and JD Heyman
Tuesday February 16, 2010 05:30 PM EST
INSIDE STORY: What Went Wrong with Brittany Murphy Charity
Just weeks after Brittany Murphy died, an invitation to the launch of The Brittany Murphy Foundation was circulated. The event was to be both a memorial and a charity fundraiser, with guests asked for "suggested donations" of up to $10,000.
But then, amid complaints by the actress's friends, the event was abruptly canceled, with Murphy's husband citing severe health problems. Now, the foundation says it will return all donations and not solicit more until its nonprofit status is officially approved.
The problems have brought criticism on its founders – Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, and her mother, Sharon Murphy – and left friends disgruntled that there still has not been a public memorial for the 32-year-old star of Clueless and 8 Mile.
In interviews with PEOPLE, Monjack and Sharon Murphy sought to explain how the dream to do something good to mark Brittany's memory turned sour. In short, they were in over their head, too plagued by grief to pull together such a complicated project so quickly.
"We Tried," says Monjack
"We tried to. I tried to," says Monjack. "I haven't been in a state to do it.
By Sara Hammel and JD Heyman
Tuesday February 16, 2010 05:30 PM EST
INSIDE STORY: What Went Wrong with Brittany Murphy Charity
Just weeks after Brittany Murphy died, an invitation to the launch of The Brittany Murphy Foundation was circulated. The event was to be both a memorial and a charity fundraiser, with guests asked for "suggested donations" of up to $10,000.
But then, amid complaints by the actress's friends, the event was abruptly canceled, with Murphy's husband citing severe health problems. Now, the foundation says it will return all donations and not solicit more until its nonprofit status is officially approved.
The problems have brought criticism on its founders – Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, and her mother, Sharon Murphy – and left friends disgruntled that there still has not been a public memorial for the 32-year-old star of Clueless and 8 Mile.
In interviews with PEOPLE, Monjack and Sharon Murphy sought to explain how the dream to do something good to mark Brittany's memory turned sour. In short, they were in over their head, too plagued by grief to pull together such a complicated project so quickly.
"We Tried," says Monjack
"We tried to. I tried to," says Monjack. "I haven't been in a state to do it.
