Remembering Mandisa with sadness and acknowledging Kyle Marisa Roth's death

By Joy A. Kennelly

I'm listening to Mandisa for a little encouragement tonight after a 3-hour nap today. I don't know why I sleep so much here in Texas, but from what I've read my body has been in a constant state of fight or flight and now that I'm healing, my body is catching up on years of lack of rest. 

Kind of excited. My next therapy session is the actual EMDR treatment that is supposed to heal your trauma by connecting parts of your brain that have been cut off to prevent the healing in the first place. As I write this, this song has come on, We all Bleed the Same by Mandisa featuring Toby Mac, and Kirk Franklin.

I'm a little sad listening to this because I just learned Mandisa was found dead in her home this past week. She was such a bright light and her music has often gotten me through some really difficult times. Klove would play it and I would just blare it while living in Atlanta, GA the most recent time.

I first discovered Mandisa through her Overcomer song which Robin Roberts said got her through her cancer. Here's an excerpt from the Time article entitled, Gabby Giffords and Robin Roberts Star in Top Christian Music Video, by Elizabeth Dias.

"It is not often—if ever—that a former U.S. congresswoman and a Good Morning America host co-star in a Christian music video. Last week a new music video debuted from American Idol season five finalist Mandisa, and it features both Gabby Giffords and Robin Roberts. The music video for Mandisa’s hit song “Overcomer” includes never-before-seen footage of Giffords’ hospital recovery after she was shot in the head in 2011, and also documents Roberts’ journey overcoming breast cancer and myelodysplastic syndrome."

The Urban Music Scene dot com wrote this about this song in case you need some encouragement to watch it with me: "One of Gospel Music’s enlightening vocalists, Mandisa, is still on Billboard’s Christian Songs chart this week with the uplifting ballad, “Overcomer” – direct from Sparrow Records. The title track from the album, released in Aug 2013, has been picking up traction from the debut of a new official music video featuring special appearances from Robin Roberts, Gabby Giffords, and Olympic Gold medalist Scott Hamilton. Mandisa is an American Idol alumnus and a two-time Grammy nominee. The single is still #1 on Billboards Christian Songs chart after 17 weeks."

Mandisa Talks "Overcoming" struggles and more on Good Morning America 

Nice tribute by ABC here in case you don't know who she is. She was a beacon of hope for so many of us and was so honest and open about her mental health struggles.

Here's a more detailed interview that goes into her difficult past and how she overcame it, but also, how it affected her entire life. I also feel sad about a TikTok influencer, Kyle Marisa Roth, whom I used to follow for Hollywood gossip who recently died at 37 years old, soon after she exposed JLo and P Diddy. Who knows if what she was saying is true, but I enjoyed her sense of humor, kindness, and ability to deep dive into celebrity's secrets. She had colon cancer and when JLo shut down her main TikTok account, Marisa lost a large part of her income to help cover her medical treatments. I wonder if this fact has ever pierced the conscience of the narcissist JLo is. All I got to say is karma is a bitch because JLo is being canceled faster than the Rock and Oprah! I know Mandisa and Kyle are two extremely opposite people, but when they've been part of your life, however small, it does make you sad. Now, when Epstein died, not so much. But did you hear he may be living back on his island? I'll stop there. I'm in a better mood after honoring Mandisa and acknowledging Marisa. One loved God with all her heart and the other, celebrity culture and gossip.