Luther Vandross’ mother, Mary Ida Vandross (pictured above), revealed just how heartbreaking it had been for her to lose every last one of her children, with Luther being the last one to pass away. She spoke about this shortly after Luther’s death in 2005 and just three years later in 2008, Ms. Ida had about all that she could take in this life and she too, took her last breathe. Throughout it all, she displayed a certain amount of strength that deserves a great deal of respect, because her journey definitely wasn’t easy.
See what Mary Ida revealed about her children and her grief…
MARY IDA VANDROSS: “I’VE LOST SO MUCH AS A MOTHER”
Mary Ida Vandross lost all four of her children. Her children’s father passed away in 1959 from diabetes when Luther was 8-years-old. Luther was the last of her babies to leave this earth and in 2006, Mary Ida revealed this to the Baltimore Sun about her grief:
“I’m getting a little adjusted to listening [to Luther’s music after his death],” she says. “Before, I just couldn’t do it. It’s one day at a time. Sometimes I’d run to the radio or the TV and turn it off when his music came on.”
“I’ve lost so much as a mother. I’ve lost four children, three to diabetes and one to asthma. I’m hurting, and I will always hurt somewhat.”
After Luther’s death, Mary became a soldier for her son’s legacy…
VANDROSS’ MOTHER SAYS HE KEPT ILLNESS HIDDEN FROM HER
Mary Ida revealed that Luther never told her that he had diabetes and she didn’t find out until April 16, 2003, when he suffered a serious stroke and was rushed to the hospital:
“Diabetes is cruel and heartless. It doesn’t care who it affects. If you can do anything about it, do it. Don’t let it go through your family. He [Luther] never discussed his diabetes with me,” says [Mary Ida]. “I wonder why. I wonder what I could have done. The stroke was a rude awakening. As a mother, I wanted to do something.”
“He was a very private man in some areas of his life. If something was bothering him, he wouldn’t share with me. I’d say, `Roni (Luther’s nickname which derives from his middle name Ronzoni), what’s wrong? Let me worry for you.’ He wouldn’t share. He wanted to be grown and handle his own business.”
LUTHER VANDROSS’ MOTHER BRAVELY KEPT HIS LEGACY ALIVE SOON AFTER HIS DEATH
While Mary Ida Vandross was going through a pain that no parent should ever have to experience, she bravely soldiered on for the legacy of her son, by promoting a ‘best of’ album in her Luther’s honor, shortly after his death. She grieved while standing in her son’s place to do press runs that Luther typically would have been doing to promote the project.
As Mary Ida promoted Luther’s posthumous album, The Ultimate Luther Vandross, she had to endure questions about her son’s passing and relive her pain over and over again; but somehow she managed to get through it…
MARY IDA VANDROSS PASSED AWAY, OUTLIVING HER FAMILY
After outliving all four of her children, her only grandson and her husband, who all passed away from health related issues, Mary Ida Vandross passed away in 2008, three years after Luther did. She was 82-years-old and she died from natural causes.
It goes without saying, Mary Ida’s son, Luther Vandross,’ legacy in music will never be forgotten.
