The cremation ceremony for the late Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor Godfrey Gao was held on Sunday at the Taipei First Funeral Parlour. The 35-year-old had died suddenly of cardiac arrest while filming in Ningbo, China, on Nov 27.

His two elder brothers were the first to arrive at the funeral parlour. One of them cradled an urn in his arms as he climbed out of the vehicle.

Three Buddhist monks were at the funeral parlour. Gao’s brocade-draped casket was led into the parlour, followed by his brothers.

Gao’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Bella Su, and Gao’s mother were seen entering the funeral parlour amidst flashing camera lights.

Gao’s brothers reportedly recited Buddhist scriptures with the monks after the send-off.

Apple Daily reported that the cremation lasted 77 minutes.

Five staff from Gao’s management and three bodyguards together with his immediate family members were present at the ceremony. Fifteen fans also showed up to pay their last respects to the actor.

The brothers collected Gao’s ashes at about 1.55 pm. They then headed to the Jin Bao Shan cemetery.

Last week, Gao’s mother appealed to social media users to stop sharing a clip of her son’s last moments. The clip shows Gao collapsing during the filming of Chase Me, a competitive sports reality show on China’s Zhejiang Television.

Malay Mail quoted Taiwanese media Mirror Media as saying that Gao’s mother, Tan Say Tin, made the appeal in a statement issued through his management company, Jetstar Entertainment.

Godfrey Gao was the first Asian male model for Louis Vuitton. Picture: Instagram
Tan appealed to the public to give the family space to mourn. She added that the family felt the warmth and concern shown by people following Gao’s death.
Her statement was issued as the clip went viral on social media. Netizens refused to believe Zhejiang Television’s claim that Gao was given immediate medical attention when he collapsed on set.
Gao was the first Asian male model to be the face of Louis Vuitton.
He had complained of having flu a day before the filming. His hairstylist, Kim Huang, said on social media that Gao had told him that he would be participating in the recording of a reality show on Nov 26.

Huang wrote that Gao had told him it was a programme that challenged one’s physical fitness and strength and that Gao was worried that he might not achieve what he set out to do.

Huang said he encouraged Gao to be in the show because the actor/model usually exercised by playing basketball or going to the gym and the programme should not be a problem for Gao.

It has also been reported that Gao was planning to propose to his girlfriend, Bella Su, on Nov 28. He, however, died one day before that.