Grammy award winning R&B artist, Usher, mourns the death of his grandmother Ernestine B. Carter, or Tina, who passed away on Christmas Eve at the age of 87. Usher took to Instagram to share the news.
“It’s taken me a few days to come to grips with the fact that my Grandma Tina is no longer with me,” Usher wrote in the post. “I’m praying for clarity and strength for all who relied on her…I feel a bit lost right now.”
In his tribute, Usher expressed how close they were. He wrote, “When I was broken, confused, lost and most vulnerable, she saw something else…and was there to remind me of purpose, and that no matter what I was facing, I love u more, she would say.” He proceeded to refer to Tina as his “earth angel”.
Tina had seemed to value religion and family over all else. In the collection of photos Usher posted of his grandmother, the last one was a video of their family in a circle holding hands as Tina led the group in grace. In the caption, Usher talked about how religion had held their bond close with each other, calling her a “prayer warrior” and recalling him seeking her out to provide the “perfect Bible verse” whenever he was struggling and needed guidance. He even jokes about how Tina thought that someday he’d be a pastor, to which they’d laugh and she’d say, “Hallelujah to GOD BE THE GLORY.”
The 44-year old R&B singer shows great appreciation for his family through his social media accounts. On Monday, Usher posted to Instagram a photo of himself surrounded by his family all dressed in Christmas themed PJs. The caption reads, “Blessings the ones that are here and the ones that watch over us!! Jesus is the reason, GOD Bless you this holiday season. From my family to yours.” He’s also posted a lot of photos of his children, Sovereign and Sire, whom he shares with girlfriend, Jenn Goicoechea.
Usher writes in his homage for his grandmother her last words to him were, “There’s a time for everything son …there’s a time to laugh, a time to cry…there’s a time to live and a time to die.”
His religious beliefs have brought closure to the “My Boo” singer, as he concludes the caption by saying, “Someone told me just today, “Keep in mind that it’s only sad b/c we miss them and that’s us being selfish and rightfully so but it’s really a congratulatory celebration b/c they’re at the ultimate place forever!” I believe that… she will be missed very much.”
We keep Usher and the rest of his family in our thoughts as they grieve and try to push through tough times. Things like this remind us why we hold holidays so close and why it’s important to spend them with family, because we never know when the last holiday may be.
Sources:
https://people.com/music/usher-grandmother-ernestine-carter-dead-age-87/
https://www.instagram.com/usher/?hl=en
