Instagram/@latoyaforever
The content creator LaToya Forever, has announced the passing of her beloved grandma suffering from dementia for quite some time. The artist, in a very open and emotional social media post, talked about the unique pain of the ‘long goodbye’ in addition to the role of her grandparents in her life both personally and professionally. The online community that LaToya has nurtured during her family’s sharing over the years came together to offer their sympathies and support to her.
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This piece of news will definitely stop you from scrolling. The colorful family vlogger and lifestyle content creator LaToya Forever reported that her grandma had died. Nevertheless, the news was more than just a piece of information. It was a saga, a eulogy written right away, about a woman who once was and still remains the greatest supporter and the first place of LaToya.
In one of the last moments, FaceTiming was involved where she thanked her grandmother who was asleep, told her some stories, and saw a tear drop. “I have been crying ever since,” Latoia said.
The post was a sincere recognition of the love that is the base of everything. LaToya told the story of moving back in with her grandparents when she was pregnant with her daughter Samia in 2014. “Thanks to them, I got to save money, buy a house, and start a family. All my achievements have been built upon their love and support.” Grandma used to call her “the crazy one” for being so truthful, and that is exactly the crown of honor which she is going to wear for life.
The reaction of her followers was immediate and huge, and the comments section became a virtual funeral. Many people considered LaToya’s grandmother as a non-fiction character, an endearing ‘internet grandma’ that they thought they got familiar with through the years of watching her videos. A user put it simply: ‘We all lost a granny in her.’ Another one said, ‘Your grandparents were so lovely and always a pleasure to watch in the YouTube videos.’ It highlighted the peculiar but beautiful intimacy of online life, where one family’s happiness and sorrow are shared by many.
A lot of the comments were about the specific suffering of dementia and the empathy created among the commenters. One person said that ‘losing someone with Dementia is a sad type of release,’ and the comment was made very thoughtfully. ‘You have lost them somewhat but you catch little glimpses of before the… that final goodbye hurts but you feel relief in the knowledge that they are back to being themselves in heaven.’ Another person recounted a similar and painful waiting: ‘I had already said my goodbyes long before she passed on because she was already gone mentally so I understand perfectly.’
The family loss touched LaToya’s aunt, Jillian, who remarked, ‘We took her to the end, just like we promised, but we are still heartbroken.’ The replies to her comment were condolences to the whole family, which indicates that the community transcends LaToya. Some other comments reacted with raw and unfiltered emotions. ‘Nooooo! Not our internet grandma,’ a comment started referring to her as ‘an icon that will miss us a lot.’ Someone else recalled her vibrant character, ‘She was such a vivid and charming person. She was a delightful spirit!’.
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Latoia sent out her message by asking for prayers for her family. She confessed the burden on her heart and promised a YouTube video soon. It is going to be an emotional one—there would be a lot of tears, and a lot of healing too. For viewers that have been enjoying the fun along with her family for years, it is also an invitation to join them in their mourning. It is a good view of the person behind the content, a reminder that the ground on which we build our lives are, in most cases, other human beings, and losing them means everything needs to be redone. The digital love print that LaToya established with her grandmother is now a permanent archive, a place where memories can be stored when even memory itself fades. Her son Zayn has brought joy to many of these family moments. In other content, she has shared her secret to reversing heat damage and loving natural hair. The family’s festive spirit was on display during their Christmas tree decorating. Recently, a mirror mishap led to an unexpected adventure.
You can view the original article HERE.
