Keeping her close. During the Monday, December 7, episode of her talk show, Wendy Williams shared the news that her mother, Shirley Williams, died “many weeks ago” and she has been keeping it private.
“You know how during corona[virus], during the world, topsy-turvy, people starving, people out of jobs, just in everybody’s life there’s something new, and you know how you lose track of the day and date, and the times, all I know is that it was a long time ago,” the host, 56, said. “She passed away beautifully and peacefully and surrounded by love. She didn’t suffer, not one bit, thank goodness.”
During the show, Wendy raved over their close bond.
“Our relationship was like that of two teenage girls,” the New Jersey native explained. “Gone is the best mother, the best girlfriend that a girl could ever have. I feel fortunate that I had her in my life all of my 56 years, because people in my age bracket — many of you, throughout the years — [have said,] ‘You’re really lucky to have your mom and dad together in a happy marriage.’”
Wendy’s mother and father, Tom Williams, were together for 65 years before Shirley’s death. The former DJ noted that she is staying strong through the tragedy as it is the first time her 20-year-old son, Kevin Hunter Jr., has ever lost anyone close to him. “I’ve gotta be strong for my son,” she stated.
The Wendy’s Got the Heat author left an open seat in her studio for her mother during Monday’s show. Shirley made many appearances on the talk show throughout the years, often sharing stories about her relationship with her daughter.
“In 1964, my family was full of stress and in a lot of darkness because my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer,” Shirley said during a 2010 episode. “But then, a ray of sunshine came into our lives. Wendy was born in July. So what a wonderful blessing it was to us, that one was ready to be taken away in October, and one brought a ray of sunshine and hope and wonderful, bubbly personality into our lives.”
