THE FAMILY OF SIDNEY POITIER RESPONDS

“There are no words to convey the deep sense of loss and sadness we are feeling
right now. We are so grateful he was able to spend his last day surrounded by his
family and friends.To us Sidney Poitier was not only a brilliant actor, activist and
a man of incredible grace and moral fortitude, he was also a devoted and loving
husband, a supportive and adoring father and a man who always put family first.
He is our guiding light who lit up our lives with infinite love and wonder. His smile was healing, his hugs the warmest refuge and his laughter was infectious. We could always turn to him for wisdom and solace and his absence feels like a giant hole in our family and our hearts.

Although he is no longer here with us in this realm, his beautiful soul will continue
to guide and inspire us. He will live on in us, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren — in every belly laugh, every curious inquiry, every act of
compassion and kindness. His legacy will live on in the world, continuing to
inspire not only with his incredible body of work, but even more so with his
humanity.

“We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to every single one of you for
the outpouring of love from around the world. So many have been touched by our
dad’s extraordinary life, his unwavering sense of decency and respect for his
fellow man. His faith in humanity never faltered, so know that for all the love
you’ve shown him, he loved you back.”