The singer is at a Detroit hospital
We are learning this morning (Mon, Aug 13th) that Aretha Franklin is gravely ill. Showbiz 411 reports that the Queen of Soul is surrounded by family and friends in Detroit who are preparing for the worst.
The 76 year old has been in ill health in recent years. She was reportedly diagnosed with cancer in 2010, but has denied that she’s carried the disease publicly. TMZ reports someone who’s been close to the singer for decades confirms she is dying of cancer. They also state she’s down to 86 pounds and “she could go anytime.”
The singer announced her retirement last year stating she wouldn’t perform after 2017. Her final performance was on November 2, 2017 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in New York. Her last public performance was at Philadelphia’s Mann Center in August 2017 during which she was fighting exhaustion and dehydration.
No other details are available as of press time. The singer’s family requests prayers and privacy at this time. More to come as they develop.
