It’s been almost ten days since the Academy Awards winner Jennifer Hudson has had the shock of having her mother and brother killed back in their Chicago home and her nephew abducted, only to learn a couple of days later that he was found shot in her late brother’s stolen SUV.
Yesterday, Hudson has bid farewell to her slain relatives in a very emotional funeral that included rousing gospel performances by her former “American Idol” competitors.
Held at Apostolic Church of God on the South Side, the funeral was a closed, invitation-only event where guests had their names on a list and a light blue ticket with "Hudson Family Funeral" printed on it. Celebrity guests included Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot, who were all arriving through a private entrance.
No media coverage was allowed on the premises as the police blocked the side-streets all around the church in order to keep all media reporters, photographers, and fans away.
The celebration-like gathering got so emotional when Jennifer Hudson’s ex-Idol-rival Barrino sang the gospel song “Your Grace and Mercy” holding Jennifer’s hand as she sang, and called the Hudsons her family. George Huff, another ex-Idol, also followed Barrino in singing a gospel song.
Hudson, rose from her second row place beside her fiancée and her sister, and went to spend a few last moments with her family before procession led to the Oak Woods Cemetery.
She first moved to Julian’s white caskets where he was dressed all in white, then to her mother’s light pink caskets, leaning to give her mother a final goodbye kiss; and then she paused at her brother’s blue casket.
According to Glover Lewis, a family friend, Jennifer is the family’s pillar; she’s the one holding it together.
Till now, police has not charged anybody with the Hudsons’ murders, although authorities are calling Julia Hudson’s estranged husband William Balfour a “person of interest”.
Samuel Simpson, Jennifer’s half brother has said that the family still keeps the faith while police are doing their job.
Yesterday, Hudson has bid farewell to her slain relatives in a very emotional funeral that included rousing gospel performances by her former “American Idol” competitors.
Held at Apostolic Church of God on the South Side, the funeral was a closed, invitation-only event where guests had their names on a list and a light blue ticket with "Hudson Family Funeral" printed on it. Celebrity guests included Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot, who were all arriving through a private entrance.
No media coverage was allowed on the premises as the police blocked the side-streets all around the church in order to keep all media reporters, photographers, and fans away.
The celebration-like gathering got so emotional when Jennifer Hudson’s ex-Idol-rival Barrino sang the gospel song “Your Grace and Mercy” holding Jennifer’s hand as she sang, and called the Hudsons her family. George Huff, another ex-Idol, also followed Barrino in singing a gospel song.
Hudson, rose from her second row place beside her fiancée and her sister, and went to spend a few last moments with her family before procession led to the Oak Woods Cemetery.
She first moved to Julian’s white caskets where he was dressed all in white, then to her mother’s light pink caskets, leaning to give her mother a final goodbye kiss; and then she paused at her brother’s blue casket.
According to Glover Lewis, a family friend, Jennifer is the family’s pillar; she’s the one holding it together.
Till now, police has not charged anybody with the Hudsons’ murders, although authorities are calling Julia Hudson’s estranged husband William Balfour a “person of interest”.
Samuel Simpson, Jennifer’s half brother has said that the family still keeps the faith while police are doing their job.
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