Luther Vandross' mother, Mary Ida Vandross, becomes spokesperson for 'Diabetes Aware' campaign

Jet, August 28, 2006 by Kevin Chappell

Mary Ida Vandross, mother of the late superstar Luther Vandross, says she can finally listen to her son's music without her heart breaking.

"I'm doing a little bit better," she tells JET. "I can listen to it now when friends and my family drop by. But I can't listen to his music by myself. I like someone else to listen and talk as the music plays. Because we are so close, I hear every little sound in my son's music and my heart breaks."

Luther Vandross' fans continue to connect with his music since his death just over a year ago (JET, July 25, 2005).

The previously unreleased tune Shine is in heavy rotation at radio stations across the country. It's included on the greatest hits compilation CD, The Ultimate Luther Vandross, set for release this week (August 22). The CD features all of Luther's chart-topping hits, including Dance With My Father, Here and Now, I'd Rather, Give Me The Reason, Never Too Much and A House Is Not A Home.

She appreciates the love from her son's fans and is comforted by calls from his celebrity friends, including Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Cissy Houston, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson. "They have not forgotten him, and they have not forgotten me."

Warwick told JET: "I miss him terribly. But I feel he is always with me because they are constantly playing his records. And that's wonderful."

Mrs. Vandross notes, "His fans and friends are keeping the love for him alive. He has left a piece of himself with you in his music," she tells his fans. "He loved his fans with a sincere love and always tried to do a clean, classy show all the time. He never reneged on that promise."

Luther Vandross battled diabetes and high blood pressure and suffered a life-threatening stroke in 2003. He died of a heart attack.

Mrs. Vandross is encouraging families to fight diabetes as spokesperson for the Novo Nordisk's "Diabetes Aware" campaign. She's also supporting the organization, Divabetic at (divabetic.org).

She points out that a recent Novo Nordisk Diabetes Aware Generational Survey found that adults ages 18-40 who are at risk or living with type 2 (adult onset) diabetes are lagging slightly behind their parents' and grandparents' generations when it comes to making behavioral changes associated with healthier lifestyles.

"It's known that 3 million people are walking around with diabetes and don't even know it," says Mrs. Vandross. "They can be helped; there's a way to control diabetes with diet, exercise and medication."

She says, "I want people to listen and actually hear what I am saying. You realize what I am going through. I have lost three children and one grandchild to diabetes. I have also lost my husband and mother to diabetes-related illnesses. (Daughter Ann died of complications from asthma). I am a lonely person. I had four loving children, now I have no children. You don't know how empty my life is sometimes. No one knows what it feels like. I don't want anyone to hurt like I am hurting and be lonely like I am lonely. Go and be checked for diabetes. Do it for your loved ones, do it for yourself."

She hopes that people hear and understand the urgency of her message. "To those of you who love Luther, please don't cause his mother to cry knowing you could have gone and gotten help for diabetes. He would want you to take care of your health and not meet his same fate."

She says that she's committed to getting the word out about diabetes awareness. "If anyone, anywhere gets the message about the danger of letting diabetes go unattended or if anyone goes to get checked for diabetes after reading this--then, as the gospel song goes, 'My living will not be in vain.'"