The funeral of British primatologist Jane Goodall, who died on October 1, took place on Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral. A ceremony attended by family and friends to greet the world’s leading chimpanzee expert. Among those present there were some well-known faces, such as the actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who wanted to honor her publicly with some moving words.
“Many knew her as Jane Goodall, the icon, the legend, but the Jane I was lucky enough to know was kind, curious, funny, witty and absolutely unstoppable,” the actor said in his eulogy from the cathedral pulpit. Known for his advocacy for the environment and indigenous peoples since 1998 through the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, the Oscar-winning actor also recalled his friendship with Goodall, the trips, conferences and conversations they had, and their “shared hope” that future generations would be better.
“Jane was always guided by hope, she never let herself be carried away by despair. She focused on what could be done, she reminded us that change begins with compassion and that our humility is our greatest tool”, added the actor, who recently arrived from COP30 held in the Brazilian city of Belém, during his speech. He also wanted to remember a moment he had with her, when they took a photo together: “I looked directly at the camera. When I looked to my left, Jane was staring at me. She told me she preferred taking photos that way, because the image itself was never important to her. That little moment said everything about who she was: an enlightened Homo sapiens.” DiCaprio had already dedicated some words of love to her on the day of her death with a message published on his Instagram account: “Today we lost a true hero for the planet, a source of inspiration for millions of people and a dear friend.” He added: “My last message to Jane was simple: ‘You are my hero.’ Now we must all carry the torch for her in protecting our shared home.”
Also among those present was chef José Andrés, sitting next to Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who on January 6 announced her retirement from the United States Congress after four decades in the Capitol. The Spaniard, after hearing the news of his death, published some words on his Substack profile. “His extraordinary life was an example to all of us that the power of positive thinking can overcome the darkness and that light will ultimately triumph. He was a wonderful person and we can all learn from his legacy and strive to be ever more optimistic, even in the most difficult times.” He added: “I was looking out the window when I heard of her passing and I saw a deer; it was as if she was sending us a reminder: let’s treat all living things with compassion, and she will always be with us.”
Born in London in 1934, Goodall was a pioneer in the study of chimpanzees in the wild, discovering previously unknown behavior patterns and abilities during her research, to which she dedicated more than 60 years of her life. The primatologist was in California as part of her speaking tour of the United States when she died on October 1 at the age of 91 of natural causes.
Members of the Jane Goodall Institute also spoke during the funeral, including the executive director, Anna Rathmann, and one of the environmentalist’s nephews, Merlin Van Lawick. “I promise you that I will use this intelligent human brain of mine to find solutions that allow us to evolve in harmony with nature,” his grandson said.
The ceremony was held at the Washington National Cathedral, a temple that welcomes all religious denominations, and was presided over by Mariann Budde. The cathedral has been the scene of state funerals for former US presidents, the last of which was that of Jimmy Carter last January. On the steps of the temple, about twenty therapy dogs symbolically received the urn with Goodall’s ashes and offered comfort to those present.
