Legendary singer and musician Aretha Franklin has died at age 76. The devasting news comes after reports of Franklin being ‘gravely ill’ in a Detroit hospital.
Franklin’s publicist Gwendolyn Quinn confirmed The Queen of Soul died at her home in Detroit on Thursday morning.
“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,” Quinn told The Associated Press.
Franklin’s family added, “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 for Franklin is expected to be announced in the coming days.
