Soul singer Etta James was diagnosed with a terminal illness early last year when doctors discovered her leukemia had taken a turn for the worse, and her condition was announced to the public in mid-December. According to ABC News, the 73-year-old legend also has dementia and Hepatitis C. She was released from her California hospital Friday to remain with her family.
“Etta James was released from the hospital this afternoon,” said her agent, Lupe de Leon. “She is home with her husband and family by her side. Her condition remains stable.”
James was taken off respiratory assistance in the hospital last week, de Leon added.
“We all think it’s best for her to be at home,” he said.
Her estate conservator Artis Mills and her two sons, Donto and Sametto James, have been involved in a debate over how to best pay for her healthcare bills. According to PopularCritic.com, Mills requested $500,000 to be drawn from the estate to manage expenses while James’ sons wanted a lower sum of $100,000. A Riverside County judge settled on an amount of $350,000.
“Mr. Mills’ aim is to keep her alive as long as possible,” Donto James said of the dispute. “That’s my aim too.”
Known for her renditions of “I’d Rather Go Blind and “All I Could Do Was Cry,” James has won four Grammys and 17 Blues Music Awards in her lifetime. In 1993, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2003, she received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy. Her hit single “At Last” was covered by Beyonce when President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama shared their inauguration dance in January of 2009.
