Grammy-award winning gospel singer Mandisa passed away at the age of 47 due to complications of class III obesity. Her cause of death was listed as natural by the Nashville medical examiner’s office. Class III obesity is when a person has a body mass index of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher while experiencing obesity-related health conditions. This level of obesity can contribute to the development of serious health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Born Mandisa Lynn Hundley in California, the singer grew up singing in church before studying vocal performance at American River College and Fisk University in Nashville. After working as a backup vocalist for various artists, she rose to fame on season five of “American Idol” where she placed ninth. Mandisa went on to win a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2014 for her album “Overcomer.”
Mandisa has been open about her health and weight journey, revealing in 2017 that she experienced deep depression in 2014 following the death of a close friend, which led her to almost take her own life. She turned to emotional eating and isolation, leading to significant weight gain. With the help of friends and professional intervention, Mandisa was able to seek help and turn her life around.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can reach out for help by calling 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Alternatively, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources and support. This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com.
