Angela Bassett and Aisha Hinds open up about the loss of Rico Priem days after 9-1-1 death of a crew member.
On Saturday, May 11, Priem – a person who worked on police procedure – died at the age of 66. He was involved in a car accident on the freeway after working a 14-hour night shift at a location in Pomona, California.
Shortly after the news of his death, Bassett shared how the cast honored the life of their late cast member and the special way they honored his legacy.
“Studio, 9-1-1, we all express our deepest condolences to his friends and family. It was just a very, very sad moment. We are all shaken by it, for sure,” she said Party tonight. “It’s the first time [we experience death]. We have births, you know, we have weddings and now to experience this.”
9-1-1 A crew member died in a traffic accident after a 14-hour night shift
When the cast and crew reunited after the news, Bassett said they “had to take a moment, just take time and take a moment.”
“We thought it was important to come together and provide any service and offer whatever we can do to his family, ’cause we know we’re going to miss him, but we know they’re going to miss him even more,” she added, noting that during their time together “so many nice words were said about him”.
Hinds — who plays Henrietta “Hen” Wilson on the show — also paid tribute to Priem and the lasting impression he left in a post shared on Instagram on Tuesday, May 14.
“Destroyed,” she began alongside a photo of the series’ title card. “Words…always insufficient…none can convey the agonizing heartbreak that echoes through ours 9-1-1 family.”
The cast of 9-1-1.
Disney/Chris Willard
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“As the industry processes the passing of one of our invaluable individuals we’ve invested in – particularly loyal, so admired and loved for his dedication to his craft and sharing the wisdom he’s gained from decades of working in this industry, hearts are heavy to navigate the sadness and gratitude for the life of Ric Reception,” Hinds continued.
Hinds went on to describe Preim as one of the “unsung heroes of our show” and explained that he was one of the cast members who contributes “an enormous amount of time, talent and tenacity in servicing the stories that fill our screens – small and big.” “Our crews are the cornerstone of our community,” she continued. “The crew is an integral part of the execution of every idea that begins in the minds of creatives becoming lasting memories and moments that live in the hearts of humanity.”
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The cast of ‘9-1-1’.
Disney/Justin Stephens
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Sharing ways 9-1-1 The cast “definitely became a family,” Hinds noted as they tried to “comfort and care for each other” over the years.”Rico graced us with his presence and passion before he passed away in the early hours of Saturday 11th. May,” she said. “It is the hope and the unspoken assumption that when we are done with the day’s work, we will see each other again to do it all over again the next day. His departure calmed our hearts and signaled that more conversation and care is needed in the area.”
Hinds concluded her message by expressing her “deep love for our crew” and expressing gratitude and respect “for the legacy of Rico Priem.” “Whispering a tender prayer to the sacred soft places within his family’s hearts that ache in his absence,” she added.
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Priem had many notable credits on his resume, including projects such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Star Trek, Christmas with the Kranks, Spirit world, FLATTEN., i The company you keep.
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Source: HIS Education