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Care
Partner of the Month-
March / April 2005 Mary Ida Vandross Philadelphia, PA (with Hazella) STROKE OF HOPE has been honored by the opportunity to assist Luther Vandross during his recovery and offer support to his family and friends over the past year. Mrs. Vandross has exhibited tremendous courage and a consistently loving spirit. We join hearts in wishing her continued strength and peace. Hazella says: “How difficult it must be to experience loss after loss after loss. A woman with less fortitude would have caved in long ago. But God has been and always will be her strength. She’s a lovely lady who is blessed and she’s a blessing to others. Her name is Mary Ida Vandross – Luther’s mom. She always enjoyed dancing and even aspired to become a professional dancer at an early age. Even though that dream would not materialize, others would come to pass. She’d meet and marry the man of her dreams. Tall, good-looking and committed to his family, her husband, Luther, would father four children with her and continue to bring joy, happiness, music, and yes, dance to their lives. He had a smooth beautiful voice that’s no doubt where his son’s vocal prowess originated. It was a household full of love and laughter. Dance remained a basic part of the family fabric and the sweet memories linger even in her son’s mind enough to inspire the Grammy winning hit “Dance With My Father”. A tragic chain of events began with the premature death of her husband. He was diabetic and the disease would eventually take two of her children as well as a grandson. A third passed away from an asthmatic attack. Mary Ida felt the wound pierce deeper and deeper with the passing of each loved one. The pain was becoming unbearable. But she still had one gift that she held more dearly than anything in the world – the son named for her husband: Luther. He took her everywhere and gave her everything. As his success accelerated, he only gave her more. It wasn’t uncommon to find Mary Ida on her son’s arm at just about any affair. Luther doted on his mother. 
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