Scientology leader David Miscavige’s estranged father Ron has only days to live – and needs GoFundMe to pay for funeral
SCIENTOLOGY leader David Miscavige’s estranged father has only days to live – and has been forced to set up a GoFundMe page to pay for his own funeral.
Ron Miscavige left the Church in 2012 and wrote an explosive autobiography four years later detailing his son’s ruthless leadership.
But, recently, the 85-year-old has been fighting cancer and hasn’t got long to live.
Yesterday, his devoted wife, Becky Bigelow, who left the Church at the same time, wrote a moving Facebook post, saying: “It’s been quite the adventure and am blessed for our 31 years together. You’ve been my rock during rough times.
“You’ve been my guardian and, despite everything, you brought me home. Sadly, our time is running out.
“I’ll forever stand beside you, my love, my best friend, my husband.”
Despite his son’s controversial religion being worth billions of dollars, Ron’s friend Richard Shaw has been forced to set up a Ron Miscavige Memorial Fund on the website to help pay the funeral costs.
Richard reveals that he teamed up with Ron, a talented musician, to write a song earlier this year called “Ron’s Theme (I’m Happy)”, along with Geoff Levin, a former Scientologist and music producer/songwriter.
Becky sent Richard photos so he could create a touching personal YouTube video, which is now posted on the funding site.
He writes on the page: “Ron Miscavige is nearing the end of his extraordinary life and asked to post this video of his song: “Ron’s Theme (I’m Happy)” to raise funds for his cremation and memorial costs.
“Ron Miscavige is the father of David Miscavige, the leader of the Church of Scientology.
“He spent 42 years living under the Church’s grasp but escaped in 2012. Since that time his life has been more rewarding and fulfilling than ever before.
“Ron’s wife, Becky, sent an assortment of photos so we could create a video with the song as the featured music. Family, friends and memories.”
Last September, Ron spoke hit out at his son, calling him a “corrupt ruler” and told how he was allegedly banned from seeing his two daughters and grandchildren after leaving the Church.
He also alleges he was trailed by private investigators, who even looked on as they thought he was having a heart attack.
Callously, Ron claims the PI’s were told to leave him to die.
“All I wanted to do when I left was to get on my life, but I had private investigators following me, being paid $10,000 a week to report on all of my doings between eight in the morning and eight at night,” he said.
“When I was being followed, I was shopping at a grocery store near my house, it was a summer’s day and I had a pocket t-shirt on.
‘POWER HAS CORRUPTED HIM’
“I opened the door to put the groceries in, bent over, my cellphone was in the left-chest pocket and I thought it was going to fall out, so I grabbed my cell with my right arm, unbeknownst to me were two private investigators watching in a blacked-out van, and one said: ‘It looks like the target is having a heart attack, I’m going to call in.’
“He called Greg, the name of his handler, he said he’ll get someone on the phone, a few minutes later a person came on the phone, and said, ‘Listen, if it’s his time to die, don’t intervene, don’t do anything, let him die.’”
In 2016, Ron wrote his No 1 New York Times Bestseller entitled Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me.
He also started up his own website, interviewing former Scientologists, and exposing the reality of living in the Church.
Ron said: “That’s the only reason I do any of this, I want people to get enlightened, so they know the truth and it doesn’t ruin their life.
“It’s really an odd thing to come to the realization that David is not what he used to be, that’s a matter of fact.
“When he was a child, he was a totally different person. I think power has corrupted him.”
A spokesperson for Scientology said at the time that Ron’s “assertions are unequivocally false.”
Last May it was revealed that Tom Cruise was spending his lockdown in the luxurious top-floor accommodation of Scientology’s plush UK HQ.
The Hollywood star decided to stay in England after filming the latest Mission Impossible which was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cruise’s visits to Saint Hill would often coincide with visits from his best pal, Miscavige.
Former family friend, Scientologist and the daughter-in-law of the world’s greatest living opera singer Placido Domingo, Sam Domingo said that Cruise would often use the East Grinstead property as a base, living in the luxury top-floor accommodation.
The mansion was once the home of the founder of the religion, L. Ron Hubbard.
Following a £13 million renovation last year, the UK headquarters includes an all-glass restaurant run by a Michelin star chef who used to work at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant Royal Hospital Road.