Eddie Levert, the legendary singer of the O’Jays, is reportedly mourning the loss of his youngest daughter, Ryan Levert. According to The Rnb Talk Show, Ryan, 22, passed away following a longtime battle with Lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues and organs, according to Mayo Clinic. As a result, widespread inflammation can drastically impact various body parts, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs.
Eddie’s grandchildren confirmed the news of Ryan’s sudden passing.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Carlysia Levert, the granddaughter of Eddie Levert, and daughter of the singer’s late son, Gerald Levert, shared the heartbreaking news on her Instagram Story. She re-shared the post from The RnB Talk Show and later requested fans to keep her family in their “thoughts and prayers” in a subsequent post featuring her aunt.
“Please send extra love up for my papa and nana,” she added.
Ryan, born in 2002, co-hosted her father’s podcast, The Levert Opinion, alongside her nephew, LeMicah Levert, Gerald Levert’s son and Eddie’s grandson. The trio would discuss current events, life, and pop culture news.
While the 82-year-old singer has not yet publicly commented on his daughter’s tragic passing from Lupus, LeMicah took to Instagram on Dec. 24 to share a heartfelt tribute. Posting a montage of beautiful photos of the two together, he wrote in the caption that he “knew something was wrong” when Ryan didn’t answer the phone.
“Now I’m going to have that feeling forever. I love you @missryanlevert ! I wasn’t prepared for this,” LeMicah added.
Ryan described herself as a “Lupus fighter” in her Instagram bio. Her last Instagram post was shared on Jan. 1, in which she prayed for “good health more love, and more laughter.”
This is the third death to rock the Levert family. Ryan’s death comes nearly two decades after the loss of her older brother, Gerald, who tragically passed away from a heart attack in November 2006 at the age of 40. Just two years later, in April 2008, Sean Levert, the singer’s second son, died at 39 after falling seriously ill while incarcerated in Cleveland.
The O’Jays rose to prominence in the 1970s with timeless hits like “Back Stabbers,” “Love Train,” and “For the Love of Money.” The classic lineup included Eddie Levert Sr., Walter Williams Sr., and Eric Nolan Grant, though the group changed its members over the years.
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