It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17pm surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother.
Melissa Rivers also said,
My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh.
Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.
According to Temple Emanu-El spokeswoman Elizabeth Fezrine, the funeral for Joan Rivers will be at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan on Sunday. Details, including the time and if the public will be allowed to attend, are not yet known.
Joan Rivers, 81, had been on life support at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai hospital, where she was taken after she stopped breathing at the Yorkville Endoscopy clinic last Thursday.
Her death also has triggered an investigation by the New York medical examiner’s office, its spokeswoman, Julie Bolcer ,told CNN. "The cause and manner of death will be announced at some point," she said.
The Rivers family made very little information about her medical condition public, finally confirming Tuesday that she was on life support.
The clinic has not responded to repeated calls from CNN about the state’s investigation.
Yorkville Endoscopy’s website says it is an "ambulatory surgical center" that has been "approved by the Department of Health." The description of its accreditations is blank.
The websaite says, "Yorkville Endoscopy is a state of the art facility, staffed by highly experienced endoscopists whose mission is to provide safe and compassionate care to patients and their families."
