Brentwood, TN – Hundreds gathered at Brentwood Baptist Church in Tennessee on Saturday to celebrate the life of beloved Christian singer Mandisa, who passed away unexpectedly on April 18, 2024, at the age of 47. The service, which was also live-streamed to over 11,500 people online, featured heartfelt tributes from family, friends, and colleagues.
During the emotional service, Mandisa’s father, John Hundley, briefly addressed questions surrounding his daughter’s cause of death. “I’m not a detective, but I’ve spoken to the detectives,” Hundley said. “I’ve been in Mandisa’s home since last Saturday night. It will take about three weeks before they can give a report. Here’s what I think happened. Mandisa fell down in her bedroom. They found her on the floor. She did not harm herself.”
Hundley further elaborated on his belief, stating, “If you look from the rear of her bed, she was laying on the left side. It’s clear that’s where she was laying, there was a couple of big rugs there and some clothes. On the right side of the bed, front, was this nightstand. I found her phone on the right side of the bed. There was no way for Mandisa to get around the bed, go out there and get a phone to call for help.”
He also revealed that Mandisa had been struggling with the aftermath of COVID-19, saying, “She told me some time ago that she had gotten COVID-19 and she had been weak trying to get over that. But she was trying to press through.”
The funeral service was filled with touching tributes, including a special performance by the Fisk Jubilee Singers alumni from Fisk University, the group Mandisa was a part of during her college years. Well-known Christian speaker and author Beth Moore also shared about Mandisa’s impact on her life, saying, “Whatever she did she did it with every molecule she had. Mandisa had an impact on an audience that no one I have ever seen. She was simply sublime, utterly mezmerising. She loved Jesus in a way that made everyone around her love Him.”
Mandisa’s cousin, Dennie Marshall, expressed gratitude on behalf of the family for the outpouring of love they had received since the singer’s untimely passing. The service also included readings from the Bible and personal anecdotes from Mandisa’s college roommate, who spoke of her friend’s “impeccable tenacious spirit for the Lord.”
As the Christian music community continues to mourn the loss of Mandisa, her father’s words provide some insight into the circumstances surrounding her death. The Franklin Police Department has ruled out foul play but has not yet released an official cause of death. The investigation is ongoing, with a report expected in the coming weeks.
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