Remembering Harry Belafonte: His family speaks

a celebration of life will be held this afternoon in Morningside Heights for a New York Legend and a national icon Harry Bellon the singer actor and civil rights activist died last April and nearly a year later his family and friends and fans will get the chance to say goodbye eyewitnessed news reporter Kimberly Richardson sat down with balon's family before today's service this celebration falls on what would have been Harry bellante's 97th birthday his four children and five grandkids will be

there a larger than life personality bellonte inspired and challenged those around him to do better as his son David tells me fix things I sat down with the bellantes who Shar touching at times funny stories about a man who had many layers I have every expectations of being around to celebrate his 90th birthday me too the measure of one's character isn't solely based on what they do in life he was the master of expressing his dissatisfaction with the way things are rather also in death I've neve

r like fully come to terms with the fact that he's gone what one leaves behind he was one of the first black men of his caliber to take on the spaces he did and so there is not a guide book for that he was writing it himself and I think as he got older and as those lessons were learned I think he was able to show up for us in such a special and incredible way to them he was simply far- far Danish for dad's dad the rest of the world Harry bellante actor singer activist I rode in two lanes for so

much of my life it put an interesting and very difficult Challenge on a father son relationship because so much of the professional side was prevalent all the time still David bellafante Harry's only son took his father's Priceless Pearls of Wisdom and strung them together Melena describing her father-in-law as not a problem solver but a problem highlighter he would see there's a problem and then he would highlight it and he would get everyone to come and and try and fix it and so many of those

problems that he did highlight have not been fixed yet so that's up to us to do from their family home the stories are full spirited when we were by a pool and he'd always wear a Speedo and then you have the the silver like the reflecting thing to get tan as just found it hilarious the bellante celebrating a man who dedicated his life to service and in his own abstract way got things done he was very much like got to fight for the cause here's what you got to do and that was always instilled in

all of us motivation to create the Bonte Family Foundation in 2019 it was clear that something needed to happen that would take his likeness his Essence and create some kind of relevance for their kids kids kids the organization is built around several pillars taking a multi-generational approach to crucial social concerns it is personal I was bullied when I was younger hence a focus on among other things mental health the patriarch of the family enthusiastically signed off on the Venture we wou

ld frequently visit him or call and he's always asking like what you doing now what's the what are the next steps yeah how can I help April 25th of last year Harry bellafante passed away he was 96 years old Legacy lives inside it's what you glean from the experiences bloodline I look at people people that were motivated by Harry I see agents of Legacy amadas tells me having tonight's public Memorial is important is a way for him to come to terms find peace with his grandfather's passing during o

ur visit David and his family shared many more poignant stories about Harry bellafante you can hear them all at ABC7 New York