I went to Patti Labelle's show at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony in Dallas and guess who I notice on the drums? Mr. John Blackwell! He did an excellent job as always. Patti spoke about how John asked her if he could come back and play with her during the four months he's off from working with Prince. When she introduced him she also spoke about the loss of his daughter Jia. She got emotional, started to cry and dedicated "You are my friend" to John.

They were here together in DC 2 weeks ago. The word is that John is trying to get Patti to join the line-up for the Jia Blackwell Memorial Scholarship Fund concert on December 11th in Boston.

Four months eh?

...and then....?

APOLLONIA112 said:

I'm all for a brother using his music and his gift to work through his grief, but unless his wife is on tour with him I would worry about this putting a riff between them at a point when they need each other strength and support.

CandyEyce said:

They also have a school-age son. I suppose he should be on the road with Dad until all the grieving is complete? It's quite likely that they will never stop grieving their loss. One has to assume that they're finding ways to deal with it, without the need to cling to each other every second. One life is gone. Three others will always look back, but also have to move forward. I'd like to think they they have a better idea of what's best for them than we do and that they're dealing with things in a way that works for them.

I think they're amazing to do what they're doing with the Jia Blackwell Memorial Scholarship Fund and Concert. It would be so easy to withdraw into their pain, but they've decided to conquer it by using the tragedy to raise funds to help promote child safety awareness and to help young women pursue careers in music. I regard these endeavors as a clear sign that the Blackwell family is united in finding a way to deal with their grief.

I had a sister who died young nine years ago after struggling with multiple physical and mental handicaps. As painful as her loss was and is, the best thing I ever did in response was to endow a scholarship fund at my alma mater to benefit students who were studying to become the sort of special education teachers that made such a huge difference in my sister's life. Every year,I get a letter from a student thanking me for creating the fund. It helps to ease the pain a great deal.

In the years ahead, the Blackwell family will surely experience the same sort of comfort. And we can help get them there, each of us, by making donations to the fund. Stroll on up to the top of this forum and find out how to contribute.
[Edited 10/28/04 22:07pm]