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CNN Live Today

Family Members and Friends of Lisa Lopes Gathering Today to Say Goodbye

Aired May 02, 2002 - 11:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to go live now to just outside of Atlanta, Lithonia, Georgia. Family members and friends of Lisa Lopes gathering today to say goodbye to Lisa Lopes. Lopes was of course the Grammy-Award winning member of the group TLC. She was killed in a car crash last week in Honduras, only 30 years old.

Our Kendis Gibson joins us from outside the church, where the funeral is set to begin in the next hour.

And, Kendis, if a funeral is any indication of how a person was loved, is still loved, a lot of love flowing today for Lisa Lopes.

KENDIS GIBSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Daryn.

You've seen the pictures all morning long of people lining up for what would seem like blocks, if we were in city area right now, but as you can see, they started letting the crowd in about an hour ago. And folks are still strolling into the church here behind me. The funeral is set to begin in just about a half hour from now. I'm told that family members have not arrived as of yet. But I'm sure many of the celebrities are now inside.

Many of these people, of course, never even knew Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes; they knew her music. And indeed, she become famous for her music, but she also became infamous for her mischief, because, as you know, the fire to her boyfriend Andre Rison's mansion, her admitted troubles with alcohol, as well as her feuding publicly with the members of the group TLC.

But Many here say that lately she's been a different person.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GIBSON (voice-over): For a life that seemed to many outsiders fragmented and on overdrive, it appears the tragic pieces came together following the personal tragedies of others.

1998, Honduras, Hurricane Mitch devastates the Central American country, and among the thousands of volunteers rushing there to help, R&B singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. The experience there seems to trigger an unlikely love affair with the country. The Hindaran (ph) people and healing villages seem to help to find this once troubled artist find a home and find acceptance. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LISA LOPES, TLC: Cleansing period in my life, and I learned a lot about the food, a lot about herbs, a lot about society, a lot about energy, and all these things can help people. There's a lot of sick people in the world, a lot of people who are struggling and suffering, and they're not just happy, and I used to be one of those people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIBSON: It appears happiness finally arrived for Lopes. Borne out of the desire to help others, she was the one who benefited, and had turned things around when it was all taken away from her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIBSON: And you could hear the cries as Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes casket pulled up and went into the church. In fact, the casket, it says "Dreams are hopeless aspirations and hopes of coming true. Believe in yourself, the rest is up to me and you," a line from the song "Waterfalls" that you heard in that piece just now. And many of the folks say that's how she lived her life, and especially in the latter years.

Let's start with Darryl (ph) here, who's from the Atlanta area, one of the many people who are here, some 10,000 expected to be here. What made you decide to come, Darryl?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I came out to pay my respects to the family, and show that we do -- I'm a native Atlantan -- to show that we do show support, and show that we do love Lisa, and we're going to miss her very much.

GIBSON: Most people who knew her music and knew about her aren't surprised by this outpouring of how many people are here. One estimate had up to 30,000 people possibly here. Are you surprised? What was it about Lisa?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm not surprised that we would have this kind of large turnout, because she was known worldwide. So I expected it to be packed out, but she inspired a lot of people with her positive lyrics, so very sad occasion. But I'm here to show support, and to say that God bless her family and everything goes well.

GIBSON: In spite of her troubles.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In spite of her troubles.

GIBSON: All right, thank you, Darryl from Atlanta here, one of the many folks who are going to be going inside the church to pay tribute to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, the funeral expected to begin with in the next hour.

But that's the latest from Lithonia, Georgia. I'm Kendis Gibson. Let's get back to you, Leon, Daryn. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com