by Millions of prayers went up yesterday (August 13) following reports the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was “gravely ill” following a stint with cancer. But according to PEOPLE, family members are hopeful as Franklin is now resting at her home in Detroit.
According to the publication, the singer is surrounded by loved ones who tell them she’s in good spirits. Franklin’s nephew Tim Franklin tells PEOPLE, “She’s alert, laughing, teasing, able to recognize people. Family is there with her,” he said. “She’s home.”
“I saw her a week ago Friday and we talked for about 45 minutes to an hour. My brother was there on Saturday and she was alert, talking, laughing, joking,” Tim continued. “She’s watching TV, so god forbid she sees all of this ‘Aretha’s dead,’ so I don’t want to dampen her spirits on that.”
Franklin’s nephew said they are trying to remain positive and hopeful in order to keep her spirits up. “We believe she’ll pull through it, she believes she’ll pull through it, and that’s the important thing,” he added.
On Monday, Beyonce and Jay-Z dedicated a performance to Franklin while performing in her hometown of Detroit.
Taking to the stage at the Ford Field stadium in Downtown Detroit, the music power couple joined in the tributes by opening their “On The Run II Tour” performance with a salute to the Queen.
“This show is dedicated to Aretha Franklin,” Beyonce told the 44,000 crowd. “We love you and thank you for all the beautiful music.”
Earlier in the evening, tour supporter DJ Khaled also paid tribute to Franklin by asking the audience to “send some love to Aretha Franklin” and playing her iconic 1967 hit Respect.
The dedications come hours after a number of Hollywood stars took to social media to send love to the legendary singer amid news of her ailing health. They were led by Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, and Ciara, who all shared their prayers for Aretha and her family.
Rapper Missy also reminded her followers of a tweet she sent out earlier this year, adding: “we MUST CELEBRATE the Living Legends while they are here to see it. So many have given us decades of Timeless music…”.
Dancer Paula Abdul and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda were also among those to declare their love for the star.
