The legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin has passed away at the age of 76 according to her representative. She was recently reported to have been gravely ill, with people sending prayer support and hope but ultimately passed with her family at her bedside.
A statement was released that had some of the following contained within:
Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn tells The Associated Press through a family statement that Franklin died Thursday at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit. The statement said “Franklin’s official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin’s oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute” in Detroit.
The statement released had some very sad words but sum up the huge hole that will be left in the hearts of her family, friends and fans forever.
In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds.
We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.
