Leonardo DiCaprio eulogizes Jane Goodall: 'Led with hope, always'
Leonardo DiCaprio paid tribute to Jane Goodall on Wednesday in a moving eulogy at the late primatologist and wildlife conservationist's funeral service in Washington, D.C.
Goodall died of natural causes on Oct. 1 at the age of 91.
The actor delivered the eulogy at Washington National Cathedral. In his speech, DiCaprio remembered Goodall as an influential and impassioned environmentalist and reflected on the personal relationship he shared with her.
"It's a privilege to stand here today honoring a person of such immense magnitude, an extraordinary woman who changed not only the world, but so many of us in it, my good friend Jane Goodall," DiCaprio began.
DiCaprio highlighted Goodall's optimism in her approach to the environmental issues plaguing the Earth.
"When most of us think about environmental issues, we tend to dwell on destruction and loss," said DiCaprio, who said Goodall "led with hope, always."
"She never lingered in despair. She focused on what could be done. She reminded us that change begins with compassion, and that our humanity is our greatest tool," he continued.
DiCaprio discussed his personal relationship with Goodall, describing her as "gentle, curious, funny, witty, and absolutely unstoppable."
"We got to cross paths in so many different places -- at conferences, on panels, and in friends homes. And every single time, we'd end up tucked away in a corner talking late into the night about politics, biodiversity, and our shared hope that the next generation might do better than we have done," he said.
DiCaprio concluded, "Jane often said, 'Every day that we live, we can make an impact on the planet.' May ours be an impact of hope for her, for all living things, and for the generations to come. Thank you, Jane, for being everything you said you would be and for spending your lifetime proving it to all of us."
Goodall and DiCaprio have championed environmental causes together throughout their lives, and both are United Nations Messengers of Peace, "distinguished individuals, carefully selected from the fields of art, literature, science, entertainment, sports or other fields of public life, who have agreed to help focus worldwide attention on the work of the United Nations," according to the United Nations.
DiCaprio also remembered Goodall on social media following her death in a lengthy post, saying she "devoted her life to protecting our planet and giving a voice to the wild animals and the ecosystems they inhabit."
Goodall died last month while in California on a speaking tour of the United States, according to the Jane Goodall Institute, the conservation organization Goodall founded in 1977.
"Dr. Goodall's discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world," the organization said in a statement at the time.
In a separate Instagram post that same day, the organization added, "Dr. Goodall's life and work not only made an indelible mark on our understanding of chimpanzees and other species, but also of humankind and the environments we all share. She inspired curiosity, hope and compassion in countless people around the world, and paved the way for many others -- particularly young people who gave her hope for the future."
