Queen Latifah has gone through something deeply painful and life altering. She knew she would have to face the death of her mother at some point in her life, but she didn't realize it would happen so soon.
Rita Owens passed away in 2018 after a lengthy health battle, and a very broken-hearted Queen Latifah tried to pull some inspiration from her mother's cherished last days. “I learned so much from my mom about being strong, and even though she's not with me, I carry that strength with me every day.”
The bond that this mother/daughter team shared was a very close-knit one, and the loss of her mother has had a huge impact on Queen Latifah in every way.
It's been two years since Queen Latifah lost her mother to a disease called scleroderma. Neither she, nor her mother had ever heard of this disease before, and the series of events surrounding her diagnosis were shocking. It all began when her mother, Rita Owens, passed out in the middle of her classroom in front of her students. This led to an exploration of her health condition and the revelation that scleroderma was the root cause.
According to Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center, "Scleroderma is an autoimmune, rheumatic, and chronic disease that affects the body by hardening connective tissue. (“Connective tissue” is widespread. It adds strength to organs and other parts of the body.)"
After living her entire life alongside her mother, sharing in all of life's ups and downs, Queen Latifah, whose real name is Dana Owens, has had to adjust her lifestyle in a very big way. She was the primary caregiver in her mother's moments of need, and devoted her love and attention to her throughout her illness.
No longer able to confide in her mother about her personal life or share tender moments that are so greatly missed, she has had to adjust to recalling her mother's memory for comfort.
The pain has been a difficult part of Queen Latifah's healing journey, and she has been working hard to educate families about this disease, in an effort to carry her mother's torch as she best knows how.
Recalling the sense of confusion and isolation her family faced after her mother was diagnosed with a disease they knew nothing about, Queen Latifah has made it her mission to create change and offer resources for people who find themselves in this position. She has partnered with a pharmaceuticals company to provide information and support for those who are facing what her beloved mother had to endure. “The right information and resources are out there and you can start by visiting www.SclerodermaILD.com."
Rita Owens is greatly missed by her daughter. In a moment of tenderness and with a heavy heart, Queen Latifah eloquently stated, "Anyone that has ever met her knows what a bright light she was on this earth. She was gentle, but strong, sweet, but sassy, dreamer but pragmatic, a woman of great faith and certainly the love of my life."
Sources: Yahoo News, CNN, Youtube, John Hopkins Scleroderma Center