As many of you know, our little songbird lost her father Tuesday morning.

At 3 a.m., while helping her father assist his mother, her grandmother, with a near-fatal fall, Amara's father had a heart attack and passed away right in front of her. Amara was alone and had to think, act, and call for help quickly. I am so proud of how brave she was and how strong and level-headed she is during the most unprecedented time of her life...

I am cautiously allowing Amara to be involved with the coordination of her father's final arrangements. She has said that she would like to give her father a beautiful and memorable farewell. With the help of the many, many people who knew and loved Marlon, I believe I can grant Amara her one wish.