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How does it feel to
from closer 2rf3e
by loopedsaxe3
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How does it feel to be ‘reunited’ with your
dead c hild?
Three years after the tragic death of her daughter, new technology gave Jang Ji-sung a chance to meet and hug her little girl again
REAL LIFE
rieving mum Jang Ji-sung sobbed as she w as ‘reunited’ with her little girl –three years after the seven year old died from a rare blood disorder. In moving scenes filmed for a TV documentar y, Jang took part in what is believed to be a world first. U sing virtual-reality gog gles, she participated in an emotional simulation featuring computergenerated 3D footage of her daughter, N ayeon. Viewers w atched as Jang, from South K orea, reached out to embrace N ayeon as she seemingly ran tow ards her, before tr ying to touch her hand. In a tear-jerking moment, the avatar of N ayeon ask ed, “ Where have you been, M um? D id you think about me?” Jang broke down in tears as she replied, “I do, all the time ,” before tr ying to touch her child’s face . With her dark brown eyes and shoulder-leng th hair, the digital version of N ayeon look ed and sounded uncannily lifelik e. She was even created w earing her favourite purple ruffled dress and green flip flops. “I met N ayeon, who called to me with a smile , for a ver y short time, but it w as a ver y happy time,” Jang said after wards. “I think I’ve had the dream I’ve alw ays w anted.” The production team G
spent eight months painstakingly creating the digital version of Nayeon, using family photos and videos. In other scenes, viewers saw Jang and Nayeon blow out digital candles on a virtualreality birthday cake.
Jang sang and clapped along with the avatar, before ‘Nayeon’ handed her a flower and said, “Mommy, you can see that I’m not hurting any more, right?” Heartbreakingly, Jang then enacted putting her daughter to bed one last time, with the little girl saying, “Goodbye, mum, I love you.” Jang, who is a mum of four, says she took part in the documentary to help others who have lost children. But using virtual reality to bring the dead to ‘life’ has divided opinion. While some supporters believe it has the potential to be therapeutic, others fear it could be psychologically damaging for those who have suffered a bereavement. Jang, however, feels positive about the experience. In her blog, she wrote, “Three years later, I now think I love her more than miss her... I hope many people will remember Nayeon after w atching the show.” By Sophie Barton Jang Ji-sun “seeing” her daughter through VR
Nayeon died fr om a blood disorder aged jus t se ven
EXPERT OPINION: ‘It may help the grieving process but it could become addictive’
Psychotherapist Judith Lask believes meeting a VR version of
a lost loved one could have mixed results. She says, “There is a strong emphasis on ‘moving forward’ with grief, and terms like
‘closure’ are used positively. But it can be damaging to entirely let go of lost loved ones – it’s best to achieve a healthy balance
between letting go and keeping their memory in our hearts.
“For someone who is finding it impossible to let go enough
to move forward, being able to be with a VR version of their lost one could be addictive and dig them deeper into their loss.
Images are also very potent, and if something isn’t quite right it could be distressing.
“But for those in a settled state, who have support, this may give a chance to say things that were left unsaid, especially if
the death was sudden. It could also help eradicate upsetting images of the dead person – particularly if they were injured
or ill – which can complicate the grieving process.
“I think VR intervention has potential to help when done in the
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE OSC
Caitlyn: ‘Ky lie can’t wait to meet Jac in L
he made no secret of being a
WORDS: LOUISA BARNETT. PHOTOS: BACKGRID, GETTY IMAGES, INSTAGRAM, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK huge fan of Caitlyn Jenner’s celebrity offspring during their time in the I’m A Celeb! camp together – with Jacqueline J ossa later confessing her excitement after receiving a message from Caitlyn’s youngest daughter, billionaire make-up businesswoman Kylie Jenner. And, following a reunion in the UK, the transgender icon, 70, says she can’t wait to have the 27-year-old Jungle Queen – who has revealed plans for a girls’ holiday to Malibu – on her side of the pond so Jac can meet Kylie, 22, face to face.
“Jac’s such a doll,” Caitlyn says. “I can’t wait for her to come out here. The girls are excited to meet her too – especially Kylie, who has already insisted she gets an invite for dinner when she’s in town!” Insiders recently told Closer that the thrice-divorced parent of ten urged the former EastEnders star to consider making a fresh start in LA, following a spate of marriage dramas with her husband, Dan Osborne, 28. The ex- TOWIE star was most r ecently accused of having a threesome with his former CBB co-stars, Chloe Ayling and Natalie Nunn – something he denies. And Caitlyn added that she’s excited to show the mum of two – who shares daughters Ella, four and Mia, one, with Dan – all her favourite spots.
“Jac’s going to love the peace and quiet S
of Malibu. She’s got the best tour guide in me. I’ll be ensuring she’ll be going to the right places, as will Kylie, who knows all the hippest spots – unlike me!”
INTERVIEWS
HEIDI:
‘Simon look s incredible he gave me diet tips’
She looked younger than her years in a leopard-print dress at Elton John’s Oscars bash, raising money for EJAF (Elton John AIDS Foundation).
And Heidi Klum, 46 – who wed rocker Tom Kaulitz, 30, last year – admitted she’s been getting diet tips from her America’s Got Talent co-judge and pal, Simon Cowell, 60. The music mogul recently lost 2st, which he credits to following a mainly plant-based diet. She says, “Simon looks incredible – he took his diet seriously. He taught me a few things, like getting a blood test to find out my intolerances, to avoid food I can’t digest.”
The mum of four – who lost 3½st in two months after giving birth to her now 15-year-old son, Henry – says they’ll keep Simon has lost 2s t
each other motivated when the singing contest kicks off again later this year.
“There won’t be doughnuts or cookies this year,” she says. “I’ll have the romaine and apples!”
Leona: ‘I would love t o adopt a child’
She proved she’s still in the honeymoon period with her
new husband, as the couple couldn’t keep their hands off
each other at Elton John’s Oscars bash – even sharing a
steamy kiss on the red carpet. And singer Leona Lewis,
34 – who tied the knot with creative director Dennis
Jauch, 30, at Sting’s Tuscan estate last year, after ten
years together – told Closer
the pair would love to adopt
a child when the time comes to start a family.
Looking gorgeous in a glamorous off-the-shoulder
frock, the former X Factor
up in a children’s home, so it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do and close to my heart.
“We’d love to have children biologically, too, but we’ll see.
For now we’re just enjoying h l d !”
Lewis played Samantha’s love interest Smith Jerrod
He says SJP was “only ever great to me”
JASON: INTERVIEW
‘I lo ve SJP the way Kim treated her was unfair’
The Sex And The Cit y heart-throb tells Closer his thoughts on the famous feud, and whe ther he’d ev er marry again
us, “I ha ven’t spok en to K im since then, to be honest. “ We ha ven’t fallen out, but I’ve made no secret of the fact I love Sarah and she was only ever great to me, so I think the way she was treated was unfair.
“I’m all about being nice, so if you can’t say something nice, don’t say it. I’m just sad the third movie never got to be made, as I would have loved to have been a part of it.”
e shot to fame in the early noughties as Samantha Jones’ hunk y toy boy, S mith Jerrod, on Sex And The C ity –finally taming the sexually adventurous bombshell. A nd looking lik e he ’d barely aged a da y when Closer caught up with him at Elton ’s Oscars bash, actor Jason Lewis , 48 , revealed how he hasn ’t spok en to his on-screen girlfriend since she re-ignited the long-r unning feud with co -star Sarah Jessica P arker. H
ONLINE RANT
While r umours of frosty relations between
Kim and her co -stars (and, in particular, SJP)
had swirled for y ears, she stirred-up fresh
drama in 2017 when she refused to tak e par t
in a third big screen adventure, following
the success of a 2008 film and 2010 sequel
–with the British-born star even calling
them out for “bullying ” her after she ’d gone
beyond the “ finish line ” of the show.
The situation then escalated after the
death of K im’s brother, Chris , the following
year. T he actress, 65 , slammed mum- of
three SJP for sharing her condolences over
the internet –resulting in a furious online
GOOD RELATIONSHIP Jason also confided he wouldn’t be averse to getting married again, after his marriage to actress Rosario Dawson, 40, broke down in 2006. He was later linked to film producer Satsuki Mitchell – who previously had a six-year relationship with Daniel Craig –and is now dating actress Liz Godwin . And speaking about his current relationship, Jason said last year, “I am in such a good relationship, but it’s because I grew up. If you ask some of my older dates, I probably wasn’t as good. I was a self-centred guy. I think that the problem with most relationships is we project onto others our needs and feelings instead of seeing the person there, and that’s a very different thing in this current relationship. I value her.” And when asked about his thoughts on settling down again, he told Closer , “I’ve gr own up a lot over the years and am certainly in a place now where I’d love to marry again.”
Jason is renowned for his rippling abs and good looks – but has confessed in the past that he “doesn’t think of [himself] as sexy”.
And revealing the secrets to his physique and youthfulness, he quipped, “Late night Oscar parties and junk food!
“No, I take my health pretty seriously, and eat well and work out regularly, so that definitely helps.” By Daisy McLure With ex-wife Rosario Dawson in 2006 With actress Liz Godwin, last December
