Sad to say, there are some rumors about Neil Peart's final months circulating on social media. The vast majority are inaccurate. As for me, I choose to remember Neil as he was, and I want to respect his family's privacy during this difficult time.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 18 января 2020 г.

Normally, I would remain silent and let people say what they want to say, but this is different. My friendship with Rush is something I take very seriously, and I will defend the truth as much as I can. It's the least I can do.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 18 января 2020 г.

But it ended the way he wanted, surrounded by his family & best friends. (By the way, he was able to speak, almost till the very end, I am told.) Anyway, I'm just sorry there is no cure for the kind of cancer he had. May he rest in peace.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 18 января 2020 г.

That's the only reason I decided to say something. I hope folks understand. This is not about me. It's about respecting Neil's memory and letting him rest in peace.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 18 января 2020 г.

That's not what I was referring to. And yes, it is true that Neil fought his disease bravely. This kind of cancer has taken a number of wonderful people from us. But he never gave up, and he did not want folks to know how sick he was.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 18 января 2020 г.

I don't know whether he had the energy to keep a journal. But I do know that claims he couldn't speak are not accurate. I assume if he wrote anything, it will come out eventually. I don't think this is the right time for me to ask, however.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 18 января 2020 г.

I was there for it all, from 1974 till they stopped performing as a band. We've kept in touch for more than forty-five years, and I feel very fortunate to be even a small part of their story.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 19 января 2020 г.

I've been friends with the members of the band (and in some cases, their families) for more than four decades. It's something that means a lot to me. So, I'm getting my information from folks who were there, is all I'm saying.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 18 января 2020 г.

Or there's a normal human tendency to put oneself at the center of a story. I'm not calling anyone a liar or saying anyone intentionally misstated facts. I'm just saying Neil's family & closest friends have a different version of events, and I defer to them.

— Donna Halper (@DevorahLeah) 19 января 2020 г.