Patricia Lewis "devastated" following the death of her mother
Patricia Lewis thanked the public for respecting the family to deal with the disease in private.
On Monday, legendary South African singer Patricia Lewis announced that her mother, Linda Lewis, died on Sunday.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Lewis said: "Our hearts are shattered and as a family, we are devastated beyond what any words can ever describe."
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In the post, Lewis addressed that her beloved mother had a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
"Her 12-year emotional rollercoaster and lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease has finally come to an end."
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment.
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Lewis also thanked the public for respecting the family to deal with the disease in private.
"We, the Lewis family SO appreciate all your love, support, messages, phone calls, concerns and patience throughout these past years, and most of all, respecting our decision as a family to deal with this horrendous disease in total privacy... It was her wish and ours as a family too."
Linda Lewis was 73.
We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the Lewis family and friends.
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Image: Instagram/ Patricia Lewis