The cause of death of former “American Idol” contestant Mandisa has been revealed.
The Grammy Award winner’s father, John Handley, confirmed to Fox News Digital on Wednesday that his daughter died of natural causes.
” [autopsy] “The report supports the comments I made at her hospital release party: ‘Mandisa did not harm herself,'” Handley said. “She died of natural causes related to obesity.”
According to the autopsy report obtained, people According to The Best magazine, the singer died at age 47 from complications of Class III obesity. The report said the singer was “last seen alive” about three weeks before he was discovered dead in his home by friends on April 18. The cause of death has been listed as natural causes.
Former ‘American Idol’ member Mandisa dies at 47; life full of pain, faith and inspiration
Mandisa, a former “American Idol” contestant and gospel singer, passed away on April 18 at the age of 47. (Jason Davis/Getty Images via K-LOVE)
by Cleveland ClinicClass III obesity is a “complex chronic condition characterized by a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater, or a BMI of 35 or greater and experiencing obesity-related health conditions.”
Shortly after her death, friends and family gathered at Brentwood Baptist Church in Nashville to honor and celebrate Mandisa’s life.
During the ceremony, Hundley spoke about what happened to his daughter.
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“But I think this is what happened,” Hundley said. During the ceremony“Mandisa collapsed in the bedroom. They found her on the floor. Looking from behind the bed, she was lying on the left side. It was obvious she was lying there and there were a couple of large rugs and some clothes. There was a nightstand on the right side of the bed, in front. I found her mobile phone on the right side of the bed. There was no way for Mandisa to get around the bed and get out and pick up the phone to call for help.”
“She didn’t hurt herself,” he added. “Like she said, Mandisa loved the Lord and the Lord loved her. So here’s one thing you may not know. She told me a while back that she had COVID-19 and was weak trying to get through it, but she was trying to pull through. We talked a lot on Easter morning, I hadn’t called her recently because I thought she was going to this conference, but I’ve talked to her a lot. May she rest in peace now.”
Mandisa’s father told Fox News Digital that she died of “natural causes related to obesity.” (Jamie Gilliam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Hundley’s comments drew mixed reactions, but at the time Hundley told Fox News Digital that he was trying to move forward in the way Mandisa would have wanted.
“Some people have criticized me for speaking out,” he said. “They said I should be grieving more. I am grieving. The first few nights were hard, honestly. I couldn’t sleep. Last night was the first time I got six to five hours sleep. I am grieving.”
“I believe she is happy and I try to be happy just like she is,” he added. “I have been forcing myself to be happy and not cry. I said the wrong thing at the funeral. I said, ‘I know men aren’t supposed to cry.’ I know some people believe that. I cry all the time so I don’t know if men aren’t supposed to cry.”
For years, Mandisa struggled with her weight and the trauma of being raped when she was 16.
Mandisa competed on season 5 of “American Idol.” (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images, courtesy of K-LOVE Fan Awards)
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“When I was 16 and it happened, it was like a floodgates opened and I started eating. I just kept eating. I think I was protecting myself from people that might hurt me,” she said in a 2007 interview with CBN.
That same year, Mandisa released her first album, True Beauty, which debuted at number one on the Top Christian Albums chart and number 43 on the Billboard charts. Christian Artists.
In 2022, Mandisa published a memoir, “Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy,” which details her struggle with depression.
Mandisa had spoken publicly about her struggles with depression. (Jason Merritt/Fox Television Networks’ FilmMagic)
That year, Appearing on “Good Morning America” “My dream is that this book will be in living rooms and coffee shops around the world and become a tool that sparks conversations about our mental health,” she said.
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Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Stanton contributed to this post.
